


Paralyzed By You

by Life_is_HELLA_strange



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game), pricefield - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Everyone lives/Nobody dies, F/F, First Meetings, Injury, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, all the feels, car crash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2019-09-28 14:27:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 37,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17184710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Life_is_HELLA_strange/pseuds/Life_is_HELLA_strange
Summary: You felt like the biggest outcast in school after your dad's car got run off the road and you became paralyzed from the waist down. But after a few years to adjust and a couple of really good friends you've come to terms with it - more or less anyway. But then one day you meet someone who is even more of an outcast than you are... and now it looks like you are stuck with her!





	1. The new girl

**Author's Note:**

> Was planning to put this out earlier but didn't get round to it so here it is now. I'm sorry I haven't got back to you all in the comments on some of my other stories I will reply when time permits. Other than that I hope you enjoy this one :)

Dad pulls up just around the corner from school then gets out. He comes around to the back at my side as I open the door.

“Dad I can do it myself. Stop fussin’!”

“I know you can Chlo. I just want to help. You won’t even let me drop you off outside school anymore.” He says with an apologetic tone and a slightly wounded expression.

I sigh as I press the button to be lowered down to the sidewalk, “I know you do but I need to do these things for myself. It’s been nearly 3 years now.”

“It has yes but you’ll always be my little girl and it’s my job to worry and fuss over you.”

I roll my eyes at him, “I’m not a little girl anymore and if I could stand, I would be taller than you.” It doesn’t come out the way I meant it to as a joke.

And dad gives me a sad smile, “You shouldn’t be the one in that chair it should have been me.”

I want to shout, stop it it’s done and to not keep on about it, but I know he still blames himself even after all this time, every day he blames himself for what happened.

So, I smirk instead, “Please old man. As if your puny little arms could handle this beast and also you could never look as awesome as me in a set of wheels like this.” That gets him smiling before he generally chuckles which is really nice to hear because he does it a lot less nowadays.

“I can’t argue with you there. Although I am led to believe from your mother that I am pretty awesome and she rather enjoys my muscles.” He then proceeds to flex his arms at me with this goofy face.

I can’t help laughing at him, “You are such a dork. And this is why you have to drop me off away from school so no one can see you.”

He grins, “Nah I think it’s because you know all your friends will be thinking what a hot cool dude of a dad you’ve got.”

“Oh, you wish! They would just be thinking who is this goof. Chloe has definitely lowered her standards with this one.” I retort as playfully as I can because I don’t really have many friends anymore since the accident.

He waves me off, “It’s ok to be jealous Chlo, I understand. If I had someone as awesome as me, I would try and keep them away from everyone.”

I roll my eyes, “Yeah you keep on dreaming old man.”

He chuckles before leaning down to give me a hug, “Ok, you best be off. If you need anything or picking up then give me a call, ok?”

“Yeah ok, I will. I’ll see you later dork.”

“Bye Chlo.”

He gives me a smile before passing me my bag then gets back in the car. He honks the horn and we wave goodbye as he drives off down the road.

I sigh and begin to wheel myself down the path towards school and another new term to deal with that I’m a week late for. The ‘rents wanted to stay an extra week with my gramps and grandma but it was really because I begged them to not go back yet and they caved like they always do...

————————

As I near the school grounds I hear, “Yo Price, dude, wait up!” From behind me.

I slow to a stop and spin myself around to see a red-faced Justin running along the path as he pushes his BMX next to him.

He comes to a stop in front of me bent over his bike panting heavily, “Man, woo! You’ve got some speed in that thing! I’ve been trying to catch you since your dad dropped you off.”

I give him an amused smile, “You do realize that you can sit on that thing and peddle right?” I point to his bike, “It’s usually what they’re used for and gets you places faster.”

He chuckles at that, “Dude don’t get me started on this! I was biking along when my tire decides to give up on me just before the handle bars come loose and turn sideways. I was flyin’ ass over tit like superman but without the graceful painless landing.”

I laugh at the image as he continues, “Check it Price. I’m gonna have me one gnarly scar though.” And he raises his shorts leg to reveal what looks like a road burn scrape along the side of his thigh and calf.

“Nice! That’s gonna sting like a hella bitch when you shower. Wait, what am I saying, you don’t ever shower so you’ll be good?!”

He gives my arm a punch, “Ha ha ha! I shower, when the mood takes me.”

I wrinkle my nose at him and tease, “Yeah I know dude. You’re pretty ripe at the moment, ya lazy bum.” I spin around and start wheeling forward, “Maybe keep a couple of paces behind me and stay downwind, yeah?”

I snicker as he gives a mock offended retort, “Hey, low-blow dude, low-blow. The ladies love the o’da man funk I got goin’ on.”

I stop moving and start looking around and he gives me a confused stare which I answer with, “Oh sorry, I’m just checking for all these ladies you say enjoy the o’da skunk smell you got goin’ on.”

“It’s funk dude, funk!” He tries for serious but he can’t help a dopey grin and chuckle.

I push forward again as I retort dryly, “Yeah, calling it funk doesn’t make it sound any better.”

“The ladies would disagree with you on that one.”

“Dude, seriously, you haven’t had a girl since grade 7 when Denise Truman mistook you for that foreign exchange student from Russia. And that was only because it was dark and the lights were hella low at the school dance.”

“Aww Denise Truman, my first kiss.” He starts to swoon like a dork, “What ever happened to her?”

“After you kissed her, she fled the country and went into hiding, never to be seen again.” I tease with a smirk at him.

We get to our usual smoking spot as he retorts, “Come on she loved the hot lips of this stud.”

I look him up and down, “Yeeah no, I don’t think so dude. Definitely scared her off.”

He sparks up a blunt before saying, “Well I don’t see a cue of ladies lining up to sample the Price.”

He passes me the joint and I take a pull then reply, “That’s because they take one look at the wheels and are like, yeah, I’ll hella see you later.”

“That sucks. People are bitches and if they can’t see past that then fuck em’!”

I shrug, “I’m past that shit of feeling sorry for myself, well mostly anyway. I don’t need some girl to glom over me I’m fine on my own.” Yeah keep telling yourself that Price, “I’ve got a couple of good friends who didn’t just up and leave so I’m cool with that.”

He takes a pull and holds it in for a few seconds before blowing it out with a couple of small coughs.

“Yeah but it still sucks that as soon as the crash happened most people fucked off. That’s such a shitty thing to do to a friend.”

“Meh, just shows who your real friends are when something happens. So, I don’t really give two shits!” I say a little angrier than I meant too.

“Sorry I’d still love to take my board and smash up on the asshole who done it.” Justin says as angry as he can for him which is just amusing.

“Yeah, you and Trev rockin’ up with ya boards to smack a bitch upside the head would be hella funny.”

“What’s that about boards and bitches?” Trevor comes around the corner asking.

He holds his fist out to me which I bump, “What up gangster Price? J’man.” He then extends his fist to him.

“I was just tellin’ Chloe how I still want to jump the dude who run her and her dad off the road.”

“You know it. Crack some skulls and smack some ass’s—no wait, that’s not right... What do I mean?” He finishes confused as to what he’s on about which makes Justin and myself laugh.

“Dude, how much erb’ you smoked?”

He shrugs with a grin, “No more than usual. Although I’m sure frank’s actually cuttin’ it with real herbs now, the cheapskate!”

“Wouldn’t surprise me. I always make him weigh it in front of me so he doesn’t undercut. He gets so offended too the grizzly bear.” I say with a chuckle.

“What you got for starters today then?” Trevor asks.

“Drama, with you.” Justin answers with a laugh.

“Oh yeah. I thought I had math.”

“I’ve got double photography.” I reply a little bored at the prospect, “But then I’m free until after lunch, thank fuck!”

“Wish I had that. I can’t stand drama.”

“I thought it would be an easy ride and dad seems to enjoy it. But Jesus it’s hella boring. And Jefferson drones on like he’s the foremost authority on everything art with his I’m so hipster and cool vibe crap. Ugh, he gives me the creeps. Act ya age dude!”

“Didn’t Rach and him fuck?” Justin asks.

“Who knows with her. I can’t keep up with how many or who she’s been with.”

“Did you hear from her over break? I saw her hanging about Franks trailer the other day.” Trevor says as he looks at a couple of girls walk past who I don’t know.

“Nah not really. We don’t hang that much anymore. I did get a couple of texts about how incredible some beach is and a photo of her basically nude with some dudes. I mean seriously Rachel at least leave something to the imagination.”

They chuckle and Justin says, “Yeah I’m not even that bothered anymore—"

“Yeah right Justin the drawling sleaze. Any girl has ya eyes popping.” I cut in with a tease.

“You’re one to talk.”

“She’s so not my type. I like something who doesn’t have to try so hard to get everyone’s attention has a lot more mystery and depth to it and doesn’t reek of desperation—"

“Who’s desperate?” The one in question butts in as she appears seemingly from nowhere.

“You and your constant need to get ya kit off.”

She shrugs with a smirk, “I can’t help that I’m hella irresistible.”

I roll my eyes, “Rachel, any dude would jump any girl who strips in front of them.”

“Aw don’t be jealous of my hotness Chloe. Just because no one wants you when I’m around. I can’t help it if I’m every guys’ and even most girls’ fantasies.”

“You wish—"

“I don’t need to wish when it’s the truth.” She cuts me off with her smug grin.

“Whatever! They only go with you ‘cos you’re a hella easy lay. None of them actually stick around after do they?” I retort starting to get a little angry because she always does this and has to make everything about sex like it’s the be all and end all and knows full well I haven’t because no girl wants to go near the paralyzed girl.

She shrugs with a smirk, “At least I can get laid unlike you. How many have you had again? Oh right, none little miss virgin. You haven’t even had a girlfriend before.”

“Woah, low blow Rachel!” Justin jumps in.

Then Trevor says, “Yeah maybe leave it Rach.”

“What, she started it.” She retorts innocently.

“It’s cool guys. I couldn’t care less what she thinks. I’m just someone who she used to hang around with.”

“Oh wow, here we go again with the woe is me act. It’s not my fault you can’t do half the stuff you used to be able to.”

“I’m not being like anything. It’s just we used to hangout all the time together until the accident. Then you just bailed on me.”

I hear the bell go for first period as she says, “We still hangout Chlo. It’s just you changed after everything.”

I maneuver myself around before I tell her, “I lost the use of my legs Rachel that’s it, I didn’t change. I’m still the same person I always was. It’s you who fails to see that not me.”

I start rolling myself away as she calls, “Chloe, I’m sorry ok?” But I can’t be bothered with her right now.

Ugh, this is what it’s always like with her now. We used to have a laugh but now it’s like I’m always holding her back and she never wants me around or even bothers to acknowledge me half the time anymore. She also has to constantly send me stuff like she’s trying to rub it in my face that she’s doing all this shit and all the little comments she sends in her texts.

With a frustrated groan I make it to my first class and for once I’m not actually late. Most of the usual faces are here none of which I usually talk to and I’m hella ok with that. So, I make my way to the table at the back of the room that I have always used, slide one of the chairs out of the way and maneuver my wheelchair under the table.

As I start getting my stuff out of my bag Mr. Jefferson comes in, “Good morning class. I see the usual faces are with us and one that is only a week late for class.” He pauses to give me a glance before he looks around at everyone then carries on, “We seem to be missing one more person does...” He continues to ramble on as I switch off and start to flick through one of my skate mags...

While he is still flapping his lips and I’m deciding what kind of new wheels I want for my skateboard that I’ll never get to ride again I hear a girl interrupt the waffling idiot at the front.

“I am so sorry I’m late Mr. Jefferson.”

When I look up, I see a disheveled dorky looking girl, kinda lanky, skinny but with this completely oversized skanky baggy jumper thing on, dark brown messy hair and really pale skin. She looks like she has just fallen straight outta bed or a dumpster and into the classroom. Hmm she might have although her eyes have dark rings under them and she doesn’t look as if she’s slept in days.

Mr. Jefferson looks to her with this smirk which is kind of weird as he says, “I’m glad you decided to join us Maxine—"

“It’s still Max!” She cuts in.

He laughs in this creepy way when she does that, “Of course it is, Max. Please take a seat so we can finally get started now our newest rising star is here.”

There are a few sniggers around the class at that, mainly from Victoria Chase and her cronies as they sneer over at her and whisper to each other. Bunch of try hard assholes’!

I look back to the girl and see her blushing as she basically hugs her books tight to her chest and looks around the class.

Then I do the same realizing all the other tables are basically full well apart from bitchtoria’s who pulls the spare chair in and leans back in hers with her arms crossed and a look of don’t even think of trying to sit here. Which only leaves my table with just me here.

“Shit shit shit!” I mutter to myself and quickly look down at my mag and start flicking through the pages while begging anything out there listening to not have the weird grungy girl come and sit at my table.

But no such luck when I hear an unsure, “Is this seat taken?”

I groan internally with an eye roll and give a shrug, “Looks like it’s empty.” I reply without looking up at her and I feel a little bad but I don’t really want to be lumbered with the strange outcast I’m already one of them myself.

I can see her slide into the chair then she places her books on the table and her bashed up bag on the floor.

Then I hear a quiet, “Thank you.”

It kind of surprises me and I take a glance at her when she says that but she is looking towards the pompous ass still rabbiting at the front so I go back to my mag...

—————

Mr. Jefferson has finally got bored of the sound of his own voice and told us to look up some shit on what inspires us from early works to modern day life for a big project that he will be revealing at the end of class. So, I got my iPad out and started scrolling through some sites, not really to do with what he wants just what bands are playing around the area soon. But whatever it inspires me sort of.

As I look through different sites, I get a text from Rachel asking to hang after class. I don’t feel like I should because she’s probably only doing it ‘cos she has no one else right now to chill with. And I’m kind of over her keep using me just to be dumped when she gets a better offer just like over break and every other time. But I also feel like I can’t say no because I have literally no friends apart from Justin and Trevor and she knows this. So, with an internal groan of frustration at myself for once again letting her walk all over me I send back a sure and go back to my perusing the internet.

I notice the girl, Max doesn’t get an iPad or phone out to look at, the only one in class who doesn’t, but lays out some photos in front of her on the desk instead with her retro Polaroid camera. It looks a little similar to my dad’s one only bigger and maybe slightly older. It’s strange to see someone still using one of them and not the new digital ones with all the features you could want and even some you will never use.

As she sorts her photos out, I can’t help nosing at them and some are pretty good from what I can see. I want to laugh at some of the people she has captured in various positions either falling over or pulling these weird faces obviously caught off guard and then the ones of some animals. I want to lean over and look through them especially when she doesn’t give me long enough to look at them.

I have to catch myself when I almost huff out loud when she opens up a dog-eared notebook with things like ‘Dyke’ ‘Inbred trash’ and ‘Chick with a dick’ scrawled over it but crossed out, that makes me frown reading them, as it obscures my view of the top photos so she can start to doodle in it.

I find myself watching her face as she doodles with a pen held delicately between long slender fingers with chipped cherry red nail varnish but I don’t know why I’m drawn to her face. I can’t really see it that well with her hair keep falling down the side of it. But every now and then she puts it back behind her ear so I can see it and she has this intense face of concentration as she draws. For a grungy girl she’s got surprisingly smooth soft looking skin, sharp yet also gentle features but there are all these dorky little freckles across her nose and a few on her cheekbones. Jesus she never really stood a chance when she got hit with the nerd stick!

I try to go back to what I was doing but I can’t help but keep glancing over to what she is drawing. She’s actually quite good at it like the more realistic ones look really cool and the caricature ones are pretty awesome.

But as I’m trying to watch her draw this new one which is hard because her damn hand keeps getting in the way I can’t help snort laughing out loud when I realize what or rather who it is. It’s a sketch of Jefferson bent over with his pants down and titled above it is ‘Starring the pretentious prickster and his ass licking pixie’ and a sketch of Chase on her hands and knees with a collar around her neck that he holds as she licks his ass.

Max shifts her steely blue eyes to me at my noise and I quickly look down at my iPad as if nothing just happened.

I can feel her still looking at me but I can’t turn my eyes back to her I actually feel embarrassed at being caught peeking at what she was doing.

But thank fuck for the first time ever I’m relieved when Jefferson starts to talk, “Ok so some exciting news as promised. For the remainder of the term you will be paired off where you and your partner will work together on a project for a competition that will count to over half your final grade. The subject can be about anything you wish but it must combine both of your styles and influences within it. There will be only one thing I ask and that is you put yourselves into this, figuratively and metaphorically. Now as some of you do need an incentive to get actively involved with your work, I have arranged for the winners to fly out to New York and have their works displayed for all to see in one of the most prestigious art galleries around.”

There are some hushed murmurs of excitement throughout the classroom at that as he then starts to tell us who we’ll be working with.

“As I will be wanting contrasting styles for you to be able to work around because no art is the same and a different perspective is everything when it comes to seeing things in another direction other than your own. I have already picked out who will be with whom.” 

Please don’t stick me with the weirdo grunger girl I don’t want to be lumbered with that! I plead.

“So, Daniel you will be working with Courtney, Hayden you’ll be with Alyssa, Victoria you will be with Kate, Taylor you’ll be with Evan... and lastly Max you will be paired off with none other than our very own workaholic Chloe Price.”

For fuck sake! Am I just doomed or something? Why do I get stuck with her? Why not... I pause my rant to look around the room and groan because there is no one I actually want to work with in this class. Great looks like I’m stuck with her I mutter annoyed as the bell rings for the end of class.

I shove my crap into my bag and take a breath before I look up to at least say something to Max as it seems we’re going to be working together.

But as I do, she is nowhere to be seen, “Awesome! Looks like I’ve been ditched already by the weird girl.” I mutter a little bitterly because she obviously doesn’t want to work with me either.

I put my bag on my lap maneuver myself back from the table then out of the classroom.

As I go through the hall, I see her walking off towards the exit so I start to go after her. But as I get outside, I think better of it ‘cos why should I chase her down and I’m supposed to be meeting up with Rachel.

As I sit here by myself like a dick, checking my phone to see if she has text and everyone else has already left, I hear, “Yo Price?”

I look to the side to see Trevor and Justin walking over to me from the swimming pool way so I start to wheel myself over.

“Hey, d’you want to come for a smoke and watch Justin break a few bones on my board?” Trevor asks with a grin.

“As much as I would hella love to watch Justin humiliate himself and school him on how to handle some wheels. I’m supposed to be meeting up with Rachel.”

They glance at each other, then Justin says, “We just saw her getting in some dudes car about ten minutes ago.”

“Of course, you did!” I mutter bitterly.

I feel so fucking stupid and like I’ve been kicked in the gut for once again thinking she wanted to actually hang and wouldn’t just ditch me like usual.

“Fuck her Chlo! You’ve still got us cool dudes to chill with. What more could you want?” Trevor tries for humor.

I glance at him and give a tentative smile, “Yeah I know, you’re right, fuck her. You guys are hella awesome! Come on then, I’m in need of a laugh right now.”

“Oh dude, you are gonna be in for a treat. I got some dank OG off Frank which I haven’t started yet. I’m thinkin’ get the J’man lit and let him loose.”

I laugh at that and them trying to cheer me up. I can always depend on the both of them to stick with me and not blow me off. They really are the best friends you could ever have.

“Awesome!” I exclaim with a chuckle and we head towards our usual skate spot.

As we do, I notice that weird girl Max then I see Victoria and her bitches. They barge into her and knock her back then her books out of her hands and laugh like it was the most hilarious thing in the world to do this and start to get in her face as they make some comments to her as she picks up her stuff. She basically ignores them like it’s nothing new for her as she carries on walking with her head down, books hugged tight to her chest.

“Run along ladyboy! You’ll be late for the inbred slut corner.” Bitchtoria shouts out to her.

It gives me this twinge of sadness in my chest and a bubble of anger build inside watching that and I actually feel sorry for her as she walks past me without looking up and she seems upset which I’m not surprised about.

I think about speaking to her and asking if she is ok but as I’m thinking this Justin asks, “Yo Price! You comin’?”

I look to him and then back to her but she has already disappeared from sight so I turn back to the other two with a nod, “Yeah, keep ya panties on dude!”

“Hey! I didn’t have any clean undies. I’d already turned them inside out and back to front a number of times. They practically grew legs and walked away.”

I wrinkle my nose at him, “Gah, gross dude! And you wonder why you don’t have a girl.”

We laugh and carry on but my mind keeps drifting back to that girl and it makes me feel bad because I basically treated her the same as everyone else has and I just watched as those bitchy assholes bullied her. 

I groan internally and tell myself to shut up because she isn’t my problem to deal with, I’ve got my own without having the weird outcasts added to them...


	2. Better than I expected

It’s been a pretty slow day today, nothing has happened. Same old boring shit and classes have gone on in the same monotonous way. I’m in science right now and it has nearly finished thank god. I used to really love it and found it exciting - doing experiments, mixing different chemicals together and watching as compounds combine then sometimes explode. But now, I don’t know, I just can’t seem to get into it like I did before and everything always feels so pointless.

I sigh as I scribble some random patterns in my notebook before laying my pen down. I rest my head on my hand and gaze out of the window, while the rest of class listens to the teacher talk about the environment. Well some of them, because most didn’t even bother turning up. Warren, Brooke, Micky, Elliott, Jackson and of course yours truly did. I’ve already missed so much school these past few years and I promised mom and dad I would try harder to get my grades up again. Ever since the accident I’ve slacked on my work, skipped out on classes and used it as an excuse to get out of doing shit. I know I can’t keep doing it because it can only work for so long before people get bored of it. I do use it for other things, so I don’t want to waste it until I really need it.

As I’m staring out of the window and wishing I was lazing out there instead of in this stuffy classroom, I spot that girl Max, who should be in here. She is sitting on top of a bench, not on the seat because that would be normal, but on the table with her legs crossed. She is hunched over as she looks down at something, but I can’t see what and she is still wearing the same clothes from the other day. I shouldn’t judge though because so am I, but I’m a lazy ass and couldn’t be bothered. But I never understood why people expect you to change everyday, sometimes more than once a day, when your clothes were actually clean.

I still haven’t managed to speak to her either, I’ve only spotted her from a distance and then she’s gone. It’s strange with how much she stands out as the weirdo. It’s really not until you look for her or at her that you actually notice she exists. I don’t know if it’s an intentional thing for her to disappear or whether people really don’t realize there is an actual person there. If it is her intention it seems a very lonely place to be. I mean I have a couple of friends and I’m still lonely in some respects. She must feel like an actual ghost, well until she’s being bullied for someone else’s amusement that is.

With an internal groan and a shake of my head, I tear my eyes off of her. I try to focus on the wonderfully boring class, while questioning myself as to why I keep trying to figure that girl out…

*****

I hear the bell finally ring to signal the end of class. So, I pack up my stuff and make my way out of here and through the halls to freedom.

As I get outside, I look about to see if I can notice that Max girl, as we need to talk about this stupid project. I still feel bad at how everyone and also how I treated her in class. I haven’t got anything else to do for the rest of the day either.

I scan the grounds and the few people to see where she is, not that she will be hard to miss and I spot her walking off campus. So, I quickly make a dart over that way as fast as I can, which is pretty quick in this thing.

“Yo dude?” I shout out to her when I’m close enough.

She doesn’t stop or turn around which I frown at. So I try again with her name this time, “Hey, Max?”

That gets her attention with a startle before she stops and very slowly turns to me.

She doesn’t say anything just kind of stares at me, eyes shifting just slightly to my wheelchair then back to me.

Yeah, I’m in a wheelchair, I mutter to myself. Although I don’t think it was a judging look, it was more of surprise maybe.

Whatever, so I clear my throat before I tell her, “I think we should talk.”

“Why?” She questions with confusion and also a little nervous or scared maybe.

“Because it seems we are gonna have to work with each other on this project.”

“No.” Is all she answers with.

I knit my eyebrows together, “No, what do you mean no?”

She starts to shift a little as her eyes can’t keep contact with mine, “I think it best if we just do it separately. We can combine our work at the end.”

“What, why?” I ask even more confused and almost offended, but I don’t know why because this does make things easier and I won’t be stuck with her.

She sighs, “I know you don’t want to work with me Chloe. So, I will make it easy on you and we won’t.”

“What makes you think that? We haven’t even spoke.”

“No, WE didn’t speak.” She answers with a tone of hurt maybe.

But my smart-mouth is always ever so helpful, “Jesus you’re one hella moody nerd! What’s your problem?”

“I see the way you look at me, it’s the same way everyone looks at me. I get it, I wouldn’t want to be ‘lumbered with the weird grunger girl’ either.” She basically quotes what I said in my head about her in class. Well what I thought was in my head, but it appears I said it out loud.

Shit now I feel bad. It’s one thing to assume people are thinking that about you, but to hear them say it is a lot worse.

I go to say something as I look back to her only to find she isn’t here anymore, “What the hell! Has she got magic powers or something?”

I look around for her and see her walking along the sidewalk, towards the forest path. So, I start off after her AGAIN! Why do I keep chasing after her?

“Yo Max, dude, wait up?” I shout out to her.

She slows to a stop and I see her shoulders slump before she turns around to me.

“Jesus stop wandering off. You’re quick for someone so short. I erm, I mean we need to talk about this, whether you want to or not.”

She frowns at me probably because of the short comment. 

“Are you just following me now to make your remarks?”

“Look I didn’t mean to offend you, ok?”

“No, you just meant to keep the comments in your head, right?”

“Yes, I mean no. For fuck sake!” I huff with frustration because this isn’t what I wanted, “Look can we start again and move on from this?” I gesture between us.

She shrugs and crosses her arms, “That depends if you have any more remarks you want to make?”

I smirk a little, “I’m afraid there may well be. I have a hella big mouth that can’t help the words that come out of it. Ask anyone, you’re nothing special so don’t feel singled out. I treat everyone the same.”

That actually gets a small twitch in her lips for an almost smile, “I suppose we can try—"

“Hey Chlo?” She gets interrupted by Rachel shouting over to me.

I look Max in the eye, “I’m not done with you yet. So don’t you run off again because I will hunt you down! These wheels are hella quick.”

She rolls her eyes at me as I turn my chair a little to face Rachel. She gives me a sheepish grin before giving Max a once over with a critical judging eye. I see Max shift uncomfortably under it.

It makes me frown back at Rachel especially when she says, “Who’s the nerd—it doesn’t matter. I text you a few times today to hangout, we need to talk...” she glances at Max then back to me, “Alone.”

“I should get going. Just forget about the project, we can do it separately.” And she goes to walk off.

But I manage to grab hold of her jumper and keep her where she is, “I told you not to run off again.” She narrows her eyes at me but I continue anyway, “I wasn’t joking when I said I’ll hunt you down. And now I will have to hella kick ya ass too!”

I keep hold of her as I turn back to Rachel, “If you want to talk then talk.”

She glances at Max and I can feel her shift. I pull on her jumper to bring her closer to me as a warning and hear mumble, “You can’t be cereal!”

It makes me snicker as I turn back to Rachel who is looking between Max and myself.

I clear my throat, “Well?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah, I want to say sorry about—"

“Yeah, you said that already in a text.”

“Yes, and I’m saying it again. Don’t be an ass Chloe! You know I hate apologizing.”

“Fine! Apology accepted.”

“Cool. So, do want to hang for a bit then?”

“What?”

“Ya know, get our hella buzz on? It’s been forever since we caught up and chilled.”

“Chloe I should—" Max starts.

But I ignore her and hear her huff as I answer Rachel, “No, I can’t right now. I’m hanging with this little nerd.”

“Asshole!” Max mutters.

“Hahaha yeah I am... But anyway, text me later and we’ll hang then maybe, if I’m free, ok?”

She looks a little hurt with my answer. But I’m not just gonna drop everything for her once again, when she feels like I’m worth hanging out with.

“Ok sure, I’ll see if I’m free later.” She says a little annoyed then turns around and walks off.

I shrug and turn back to Max who is kind of glaring at me, but it just makes me laugh as I tease, “Ok Dorkimus Maximus glare, you can chill now.”

She huffs and pulls her arm away from me, “Stop calling me a dork.”

“Alright, ok, nerd!”

“Oh my dog!”

“No? How about hippie, geek, maybe shortround?”

“You’re infuriating, you know that?” She almost growls and starts to walk away.

I snicker as I follow after her, “Yeah I am and so many other hella awesome things.”

“Yeah, I doubt that.” She grumbles as we head along the forest trail.

It is a little difficult because it’s kind of gravelly and muddy. But I can manage, I think.

“See this is fun right? Making new friends and hanging out with amazing company.” I say with a laugh in tone to break the silence.

She glances at me and I can see this glimmer of amusement as she turns away with, “If you say so.”

I nod and state very seriously, “I do say so. I love my company.”

“You must be the only one then...” she trailed off quietly towards the end, before she wanders off into the forest.

I frown because I can’t follow, which is bull and I don’t know what she is doing or if she’s coming back.

“Hey, Max?” I call but I get no reply.

So, I slump down in my chair more and cross my arms, “This sucks! She better be comin’ back or I will kick her ass. Well I can’t actually kick it so I’ll slap it. No I can’t do that that’s weird. So I’ll, I don’t know, but I will do something.”

As I sit here grumbling to myself, I hear some rustling then she finally comes back. She doesn’t say anything and I watch as she puts her camera and something in her bag, then just walks away.

“Hey, where’d you go?”

She stops and looks back to me, “Oh um, I’m sorry. I went to take a photo. I didn’t mean to leave you, I didn’t think. I’m not used to—"

“What, someone in a wheelchair?!” I cut in with a little anger.

She actually looks offended and sounds it to when she says, “What? No of course not. It doesn’t bother me you are in a wheelchair. It doesn’t make you any less of a person because of it.”

It makes me feel weird when she says all that and how genuinely sincere, she sounded.

“Well um, what did you mean then?” I ask a little awkwardly.

And she starts to reply just as awkward, “I meant I’m not used to this.” She gestures between us both, but I give her a confused look, so she sighs, “I’m not used to having someone else with me. I don’t exactly have any friends because people only ever see me the way you do. As the grungy weird girl, the outcast who people would rather make fun of or hurt than talk to. So, I’ve always been on my own, it’s safer.” She shrugs at the end, then turns away and continues to walk along the path.

It makes me feel really bad because she’s right, I did think of her the same way that everybody else does. That’s such a shitty thing to do. I know what it’s like to be the outcast and have people talking about you behind your back. Yet she has them doing it to her face too.

I try to shake it off and go after her, “Hey Max, wait up.”

She slows down so I can catch up to her and walks with me now.

“I’m sorry. I kinda jumped down your throat before. I just assumed you were doing what everyone else does and only sees the chair.”

She looks to me for a moment then away, “It’s cool. People only see what they want to see.” She then looks back to me with a small smirk, “But I get the sense people would be hard pushed to not notice you, without the chair. You do kind of stand out with the blue hair and attitude.”

It makes me want to laugh but I gasp in mock offence instead, “Are you sassin’ me Maxine?”

She narrows her eyes at me, “It’s always Max! Don’t push it punk.”

“Haha oh wow! Of course not Mad Max. I wouldn’t want to offend your hella sensitive hippie feelings.”

She tries to be angry, but I can see her trying not to laugh as she grumbles, “Jesus! You really are an asshole Chloe Price.”

“Yeah I know. But you’ll get used to it.”

“Hmm, we’ll see about that.”

“Yeah we hella will.” I retort and I can see a small smile.

“You always have to have the last word, don’t you?”

“Yep!” I simply reply with a grin at her and she actually laughs.

“Wowser! You’re going to be hard work.”

“Nah, I’m hella easy going.”

“Yeah, I don’t believe that for a second.”

“Seeing is believing Max.”

*****

While we are making our way to, I don’t know where and she stops to take some photos, I’m wondering where she went off to before.

“So, why’d you ditch me earlier?”

She looks to me a little confused, “What time?”

“When you walked off into the forest?”

“Oh, I saw something I wanted to take a photo of.”

“But I was right next to you.” I tell her with a smirk and she snorts a laugh.

“Yes, how could I forget?”

“You couldn’t, because I mean look.” I stop moving to gesture to myself and she glances at me then shakes her head amused.

I snicker as we carry on, “Come on then, let me see what grabbed your attention more than I did?”

“I um, would rather not.” She replies nervously.

“What, why?”

“Because you wouldn’t be interested in it.”

“Of course I would. I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”

“It’s not very good.”

“Just give it up and stop being hella difficult dude.”

She huffs, “Jeez, you don’t give up do you?”

“Nope. Now stop stallin’ and gimme?”

“Ugh, fine!” She groans as we stop in a small clearing.

She digs through her bag before hesitantly passing over the pic. She slumps to the floor after, legs crossed and picks at the grass.

It makes me want to laugh, but I hold it back because I can see how uneasy and nervous, she is.

As I look at the photo, I can feel myself start to smile because it’s actually really good. She has managed to snap a pic of what looks like a family of deer. Maybe a mom with two smaller ones as they graze. The sun’s rays are streaming through the gaps in the trees and casting this beautiful glow over them. It makes everything look almost unreal, ghostly even.

I shift my eyes to Max who is still hunched over and picking at the grass.

“Hey?”

“Yep?” She answers but doesn’t look at me.

I chuckle, “It seems this tiny nerd does have some hella talent. I think our little team might have a shot at passing and winning this contest.”

She looks to me hesitantly and I can see a small blush as she asks, “How do you figure that?”

I pass the photo back to her with a smirk, “Because with your awesome skills and my natural ability to lead and reap the rewards. I’d say we make the hella best team.”

That gets her laughing a little and tease, “I see, so you get to sit on your butt and do nothing, while I do all the work?”

I grin, “There we go, you’re understanding how this partnership will flow. It’s like we’re already one hella awesome mind.”

She snorts, “And you call me a dork.”

“Yeah but you’re a dork with talent. I mean some of your other shots are hella sweet—"

“My other shots?” She cuts in with her eyebrow raised at me.

I scrunch my lips to the side, as my eyes dart about not able to look at her. I try to think of something to cover up my mistake.

But I can’t think of anything as she asks, “When have you seen any of my photos?”

I groan feeling my cheeks start to blush, “I may have noticed some of them, when you were laying them out on the table in class.”

She just stares at me for a moment then says a little hurt, “I thought you were looking but you laughed at them.”

My eyes widen at that, “No I didn’t!”

“Yes, you did, when I was sorting them out. So I stopped doing it and covered them up.”

“I didn’t I swear, or well I didn’t mean to. I saw some hella funny ones of like, the dude who looked like he was being chased by those gulls. I thought I only laughed at your doodles.”

She looks away with a quiet, “Sorry...” but then quickly swings her head back to me, “You were watching me draw? How long were you doing that?”

“I erm, I mean, ya know not long. It’s not like I sat and watched you all class.” I reply getting kind of flustered because I’m sounding a little creepy. And when I think about it, I was just watching her all class.

“You shouldn’t have been nosing. That stuff is private.”

“Hey, I wasn’t nosing. Ugh, I mean again, I wasn’t meaning too. It’s just, I couldn’t help it, they were really cool. Oh especially that one of what was it called again?... oh yeah, ‘Starring the pretentious prickster and the ass licking pixie!’ That was hella sweet.”

She looks embarrassed as she blushes and starts to shift, “Yeah well, you still shouldn’t be looking. Just ask next time.”

“Duly noted. Don’t snoop on Max’s stuff ‘cos she’s hella prickly about it.”

“I’m not ‘prickly’ about it. It’s just that is like a diary of sorts and not for other people. But I’m sorry if I snapped at you.”

I shrug, “It’s cool. Just be warned I do like a good read especially with pics—”

“Yes, I can just imagine the things you like to read and look at.”

“I bet you would hella love my mags. Maybe we will have to cozy up together with them sometime.” Why the hell did I just say that?

She rolls her eyes, “Yeah or maybe not.”

“Meh, suit yourself hippie, but it’s your loss.” I then smirk and decide to try my luck but also to keep the mood and fun banter going, “So, can I have a look at your journal?”

“What? No, you can’t look!” She shrieks.

I snicker and carry on, “Ah come on Mad Max. You did say to ask next time. It’ll be a lot easier in the long run than me stealing it. These idle hands know no bounds.”

She narrows her eyes but I can see her trying not to be amused by me, as she retorts, “No! You keep those hands to yourself.”

“Hmm, me thinks this sounds like a challenge.”

“I’ll kick your ass if you try!”

“You have to catch me first shortround. I don’t think those tiny little legs could get anywhere close to me and my hella fast wheels.”

She rolls her eyes at me, “You really are an ass of an infuriating punk!”

“Yeah, I am hella awesome, aren’t I?” I muse with my finger to my lip.

“Dear god!”

“What?” I ask innocently.

“You and this constant need to have the last word.”

“It’s not a need. It’d be rude to not answer you.”

“I bet you couldn’t even let me have the last word, could you?”

“Sure, I could.”

“And there you go again.”

“But—"

“Are you trying to have the last word?”

I open my mouth to retort because it’s like a reflex and I do have to have the last word as she says.

But I manage to catch myself before anything comes out, and I see Max’s very amused face at me.

I cross my arms and have to look away from her because I’m just dying to say something, and the little shit knows it too.

“What’s up Chloe? You seemed like you wanted to say something.”

I shrug which she laughs at and teases, “Wow I can’t believe you’re actually sulking. Are you not going to talk to me now?”

I don’t answer again but I’m trying not to laugh.

Max goes silent for a little while after that and I’m wondering what her game is now, but she suddenly asks, “Do you hear that?”

I listen but I don’t hear anything and look to her, “No. what is it?”

“I was just thinking how quiet and peaceful it is now.” She answers and starts to grin at me.

I’m a little confused as I start, “Well yeah because we’re not talk—oh ha ha ha. Aren’t we just the funniest nerd around.”

She giggles seeming very pleased with herself, “I have my moments.”

“Yeah well, let me know when one of them happens.” I retort which she laughs at and I find myself doing the same.

Ok, so maybe being lumbered with the weird girl in class might not be that bad. Yeah, she dresses strangely, people are taking the piss because of it and seems like the outcast. But meh whatever, plain and ordinary and the I’m so in style right now is hella overrated anyway...


	3. I'm makin' us a hella list

It’s been a couple of weeks now since Max and I first hung out. Well I say hung out, it was more me chasing her down and not giving her much choice in the matter.

We have chatted and stuff in our classes we share together though and I managed to convince her to meet up with me the last couple of days. She was a little unsure at first, but I said we could work on the project together and the mention of taking photos seemed to sway her. This was partly true but it was mostly because I do actually enjoy hanging with her. She’s really funny and so witty with this dry sarcasm that makes her kind of intriguing. And she doesn’t take any of my shit or pander to me, which makes her so much cooler—

“Hey Price. Where’d you get to yesterday?” I hear Justin shout as he catches up to me.

I stop and look to him a little confused then it suddenly comes to me, “Oh shit dude, I totally forgot! I was supposed to be meeting up last night with you and Trev.”

“Yeah and you totally bailed on us.” He says and sounds a little hurt.

“I’m sorry. I just got completely sidetracked and then crashed when I got home. Sorry.”

He stares at me for a moment before his face cracks and he snickers, “Wow Chloe Price apologizing! I think this calls for a celebration. I never thought I would see the day.”

I roll my eyes at him and start to push forward, “Hey, I apologize when I need to or when I’m wrong. But I’m never wrong so I’ve not had to.”

“Ha yeah, I know I’ve never seen it.” He teases before asking, “So, what did you do that was so distracting?”

“I was hanging with that new wei—um new girl.” I quickly stop myself from calling her weird because it’s not cool and she’s actually alright.

He furrows his brow in thought, brain working overtime. Well it’s probably just this one tiny rusty cog growing little buds of weed than an actual brain being used.

I snicker to myself at the image as he murmurs, “New girl?...” then gasps in recognition but it’s more of a normal intake of air for anyone else, “You mean the one who’s always getting smacked on by Bitchtoria and the two dumbass clangers?”

I nod, “Yeah, her.”

“I hate those punk bitches, always up in someone else’s face. She’s not really new though. She got here when you left before break. I don’t know her other than what’s written about the place and from people bad mouthin’. How come you’re hanging with her?”

“We got partnered up in Photography. I was pissed at first, but once I basically hunted her down, we spoke and I realized she’s actually hella cool...” I go to continue but I notice Max walking down the sidewalk a little way in front of us, “Speaking of her. Come on J’man.”

“Yo, Shortround?” I yell out to her.

I see her shoulders slump as she slows to a stop.

When Max turns around, she has slightly narrowed eyes as she says, “Stop calling me short um... we er...” she doesn’t finish as she glances at Justin only now noticing him, I think and she seems a little nervous.

She clears her throat and asks, “Do you want something? Other than to annoy me that is.”

I smirk and can’t help my mouth, “Maybe that’s why I was put on this earth hippie. To make your life hella interesting and worth getting out of bed for.”

She rolls her eyes at me, “Yes, just my luck, to get stuck with the most irritating person ever.”

“Aww thanks nerd. See Justin, Max and me, we’re already like best buds. She can’t get enough of me.”

He chuckles and teases, “Yeah, I don’t know if that’s the vibe I’m gettin’ here Price.”

I see her do the smallest smile at that and she relaxes just slightly.

“That’s because J’man, you’ve not got a connection like us. Isn’t that right hippiehipperson?”

She huffs, “The only connection we have is photography and maybe a hate for this place.” But there is an amused tease in her tone.

“Ooohh and such bite too. See, we have so much in common.”

She gives me another one of her not impressed eye rolls but I know she finds me amusing.

“So, is there something you wanted or is this just another chance for you to practice your witty conversation skills?”

It makes me chuckle as I go to answer but Justin beats me to it, “Ha! She’s got you down Price. It’s awesome to see someone not completely put up with her shit.”

“Put up with is kind of pushing it. I haven’t really had a choice in the matter with her always hunting me down.”

Justin laughs at that and I want to laugh myself but I look to her with a gasp of shock, “Maxine, how could you? And here I thought we were friends.”

She narrows her eyes at me, “You know it’s always Max—"

“Sorry sorry. Of course, tiny Tim.”

“Right, I’m leaving.” She says and goes to walk away.

But I manage to grab her top and stop her, “Ah come on Max. Don’t be like that.”

“Well, are you going to stop with the names?” She asks seriously but I can hear the laugh in her tone and see that smile she tries to hold back.

I shrug with a smirk, “Of course I won’t.”

“Oh my dog. You are such an asshole!”

“Haha yeah, I kinda am. But hey, like I’ve already told you, you’ll get used to it.”

“Who says I want to?!” She mumbles which I frown at and pulls her top away from me.

“Hey erm, I’m gonna catch up to Trev.” Justin says as I see him hold his hand up to him, “It was cool meetin’ ya, um Max, right?”

She gives a slight nod with a quiet, “Yeah.”

“Sweet! Well er, come hang sometime and maybe you can keep this blazer in line.”

“Check ya in a bit Price.” He gives me this look and a slight nod towards Max, like I’ll leave you to it, then walks off after to Trevor. 

Huh, Justin does have an actual brain and tact it seems because he could see Max was uncomfortable.

I look back to her when she starts to awkwardly say, “Anyway, I should get going an—"

But I cut her off, “Nah, you’re gonna come join us.”

“Why?” She questions with a nervous undertone but also a little curiously too.

“Because it will be hella fun, that’s why. Or have you got somewhere else you gotta be?”

She crosses her arms around her chest, almost in a defensive way and breaks eye contact with me as she says, “Look, I know we have to work together on this project. But I don’t need your pity or if you’re setting me up for something or whatever it is you are doing.”

It actually hurts that she thinks that and I have some kind of hidden agenda involved.

My automatic response is to give a pissed reply but I decide against it, “You’re hella suspicious Max. I just thought you might want to chill with me, well us, before we have to endure the stuffy shits in our daily prison.”

She looks to me then away with a guilty sounding, “Sorry Chloe.”

Cute, I think to myself with an outward chuckle, “Accepted. Well I’m gonna go get my hella chill on. It’d be cool if you come join me. I won’t force you, but the offers there.” She looks a little hesitantly to me, almost like this scared animal not knowing if she can trust me, so I tell her, “I’m not like the other punk bitches here Max and neither are my mates. You can trust me.” I then start to head along the path.

As I go up the slope to my usual smoking spot I hear, “Hey erm, Chloe, wait up...” It makes me smile as I slow to a stop.

I turn around with a smirk at her and tease, “Ooohh, looks like I’m being chased this time. Hmm I gotta say, it feels hella good hippie.”

She rolls her eyes but there is a smile wanting to break out, I can see it as she pushes my shoulder, “Oh no, don’t you start that again or I’m leaving. I told you the other day.”

“Haha, you playing hard to get again Max?! Want me to chase you now? Here, I’ll even give you a head start. I mean it’s only fair.”

“Wowser! You’re unbelievable Chloe.”

“Aw thanks dude. I think you’re cool too.” She does a huge eye roll with a groan which I snicker at, “Come on, I’ll chase you later but right now I need my buzz.”

She mumbles something under her breath but follows along next to me and we make our way to the others.

“Yo, Price! I didn’t know if you were gonna hang. What with you goin’ AWOL the last couple of days.” Trevor teases and holds his fist out to me.

“Dude, don’t you start. I’ve used my sorry for the year on Justin already, so you’re shit outta luck with that.”

“Damn, that’s cold! But I know you love me.”

“Gross dude, you wish!” He snickers and passes me the blunt.

I take a big pull, hold it in for a few seconds then blow it out with a very pleased sigh, “Mmm that’s hella good... Oh Trev, this is Max and Max this is Trevor.”

I see her shift a little as she raises her hand with a kind of awkward, “Hi.”

“Whadup Max! Heard a lotta stuff ‘bout you.”

“Oh...” she says quietly in this sad tone as she looks down and kind of shrinks in on herself.

I frown at Trevor and go to ask what his deal is but he carries on with a laugh, “Yeah, the J’man here has told me all about how Miss hell on wheels has been huntin’ you down and you haven’t got away yet. We know exactly how you feel, we’ve tried to shake her but she is so persistent—"

“Hey! That’s so not true man, you both hella love me and my company.” I grumble.

He just ignores me and continues his teasing, “But I hear you can at least hold your own with her. You do need a thick skin with Chloe Price chasing you down.”

Max actually chuckles as the other two do and I give a sarcastic, “Oh ha ha ha, aren’t you ladies hella funny!” They continue their laughter so I roll my eyes, “Whatever!”

As we chat and I take another pull of the joint I notice Max once again watch me. Not that I mind at all, but it makes me wonder if she smokes or wants to try it.

So, I hold it out to her and ask, “Hey Max, do you want some?”

She looks to it then me for a moment with this nervous expression as she holds her arm.

Then she does a slight head shake and mumbles, “Sorry no um, but thanks.”

“Hey, it’s cool hippie.” I tell her with a little confusion in tone as I pass it to Justin, “It’s a good thing you don’t. Otherwise you might turn into these hella lazy bums.”

“Woah, low blow dude! I’m like a well-honed athlete.” Justin says as he takes a couple of pulls, “Speakin’ of, we’ve gotta go prepare for track.”

I snort a laugh, “You mean avoid gym and go for a bike ride?”

“Hey, it’s still exercise man.” Trevor retorts with a laugh, takes a pull of the joint and then passes me the last half of it.

“D’you two wanna come with or you stayin’?”

“Nah I can’t dude, however much I want too.”

“What about you Max?”

I look to her and she looks away to Trev, “Um, no I probably shouldn’t. I’ve missed a few classes already this week. But thanks.”

“It’s cool, maybe next time.”

“I’m sure you won’t have much choice if Chloe has anything to do with it.” Justin teases as they start to head out.

“Hey, Max hella enjoys being with me. Why do you think she really wants to stay here hmm? Because she can’t get enough of me.”

“Haha yeah, sure Price. We’ll catch you later.”

As those two wander off towards the car park, Max and I fall into a silence. I try to think of something to say as I smoke but I notice her glancing at me again when I take a pull.

It makes me chuckle and I can’t help teasing, “I know I’m hella hot and all and not that I mind a girl checking me out. But erm, what’s with the staring?”

Her eyes widen and she starts to blush, “What!? I’m not checking you out.”

“Haha, hey it’s cool Max, I understand. I’d check me out too.”

“Oh my dog! I wasn’t.” She shrieks again.

“Well I think you’re telling some little lies here hippie. But I like it, so you can keep doing it. It’s a compliment.” She rolls her eyes at me with a huff.

She moves to the wall and leans against it with her arms crossed. I feel a little bad for teasing her so I go to tell her I was only joking but she beats me to it.

“I um, what’s it like?”

“Hmm, what’s what like?” I ask confused.

“You know, the smoking that stuff?” She gestures to the joint.

I look to it then back to her with a smile, “It’s like a million times more relaxing than that first morning pull of a cigarette—"

“I’ve never erm, smoked one of those before either.” She cuts in quietly and seems embarrassed about it.

So, I decide not to tease her, “Hey, it’s cool Max. What about alcohol, you’ve got smashed before right?”

She averts her eyes, still with the same embarrassment, “Not really no. I haven’t exactly ever had anyone to drink with. And my stepdad is a lone drinker or alcoholic bum, whatever way you want to look at it...” she mumbles a little bitterly but then clears her throat as if she didn’t mean to let that out, “But erm, I always thought getting drunk by myself would make me seem really sad and pathetic, well even more so than I already am anyway.”

I just look at her for a moment because it is sad, but not in the way she thinks it is. It’s sad that she seems to have had no friends or anything like that and her home—

“Just forget I said anything. It doesn’t matter.” Max cuts in on my thoughts.

“It does matter actually Shortround. It’s just, I think I have my work cut out with you.”

“What do you mean?” She asks with curiosity.

“Come hippie and I’ll explain it all.” I answer with a smirk and see the small smile she does as I turn around then push forward.

“Explain what Chloe? I don’t understand and I’m a little nervous about the tone you’re using.” She calls as she chases after me. Yeah that’s right hippie, you follow me now and I’ll show you that not everyone is an immense asshole, ready to beat you down.

I go to open the door but Max does it for me and stands to the side for me to go through.

This usual annoys me when people do things like that because they think I can’t. But she doesn’t seem to be doing that, it was more of a reflex, I think.

“Cheers dude. You’ve got English right?”

She nods, “Yeah, how do you know that?”

I stop outside our class and look to her with a big teasing smirk, “I know all Maximus.” She rolls her eyes as we go into the room and I continue, “I may have checked out your schedule too. Come on you can sit with me then I can write you a bucket list out.”

I maneuver under the table at the back and Max sits in the seat next to me. I look to her after a moment because she hasn’t said anything. She has this strange face of concentration as she stares back at me with those kind of intense but also intriguing steely blue eyes of hers.

It makes me fidget slightly under it, “What?”

She continues for a little longer before she gasps, “You asshole! You snooped through my bag, didn’t you?”

“Well um, yeah, kinda. But I did warn you I would. So, you know, it’s um your own fault.” I very lamely reply.

“You can’t be cereal! Why?”

“I don’t really know. Maybe I just saw it and maybe I wanted to see what lessons we might have together.” I answer really embarrassed because I didn’t lie about needing to know. I have had a lot of fun with her the last few days, more so than I have in a long time with anyone else.

She still looks at me with that same expression for what feels like forever and I’m getting more and more uncomfortable.

“So um, what’s going on this bucket list thing you are making then?” She suddenly asks.

I don’t answer her right away because I seem to be stuck as I stare back at her. Well until I hear her start to chuckle at me.

With a slight head shake, I put my bag on the table and then take my notepad out, “Ok, so first of all I’m gonna start you on the easy things like, getting you hella trashed on like booze and weed. Then we’ll move you onto the more hardcore shit—"

“Hardcore shit, like what?” She asks nervously.

I smirk, “Have a little faith girl.”

“I’m not sure I should when your easy stuff is getting me drunk and stoned.” She mumbles and gets her books out of her bag.

I place my hand on hers and say, “Hey, I won’t put anything down to hurt you. It will only be stuff that I think everyone should experience at least once in their lives... Trust me Max, please?”

She bites her bottom lip and averts her eyes for a few seconds before she nods, “Ok Chloe, I trust you.”

I squeeze her hand with a smile, “Excellent! You won’t regret this Max, I promise. We’re gonna have the hella best time.”

“We are, so this is for you too?”

I give her a toothy grin, “Hella yeah we! Sooo, skinny dipping, streaking, strippers—"

“Oh Jesus!” She groans and slumps her blushing face to the table.

I pat her back, “Aww there there hippie. You’ll be safe in these hands and I have hella awesome ideas—"

“Yeah and they all seem to involve getting naked.” She grumbles from the table.

“Hmm, ya know I think you might be right. But there are a couple that aren’t. So, it’s all good.”

“Yeah for you. But I’m not getting my kit off or anything like that.”

“Aw come on Maxine, don’t be like that. It’ll be fun.”

She turns her head to me with narrowed eyes, “Fine, you want to play Chloe, we’ll play! But I’m not going to do one of whatever you put down, unless you do it too?!”

“Ho ho, lookie who’s wanting to play with the big girls now! Is that a challenge then nerd?”

“You bet your ‘hella’ blue haired ass it is!”

“Hahaha... oh you have yourself a deal. Hmm, I think I might call you Maxine more often. You’re feisty when you’re angry.”

She groans loudly with a blush and quickly looks away from my toothy grin, and I cackle very very happy with myself...


	4. She's a goddamn mystery and I want more

I quickly shove my books in my bag as the bell rings for the last lesson of the day and the week. It was actually really good for once and seemed to just fly by. After my first class with Max which was really fun, I had a few hours study then this one, math that I’m leaving now.

I asked if she wanted to hangout after school with me, Justin and Trevor. She seemed a little reluctant at first but I managed to persuade her in the end. I also asked if we could exchange numbers but she got really embarrassed and very awkwardly said she didn’t have one. I thought it slightly strange but I didn’t question it because I didn’t want to make her feel bad. So, I said it’s cool and to meet at the fountain out front, which is where I’m making my way now.

When I get outside, I see Max sitting on the opposite edge of the fountain, running her fingers through the water.

I can’t help smiling a little but then my view is blocked by a smirking idiot jumping in front of me.

I groan, “Ugh, Jesus Rachel! Creepy much!?”

“Haha... aw don’t be like that Chlo. I know you hella missed me. Even though you haven’t returned any of my calls or texts, well apart from that short one today.”

“Did I really miss you?” I mutter and try to peer round her but she keeps getting her head in the way.

“Of course you did. Why wou—um hello, Chloe, what’s up?” She asks but I ignore her when I see Bitchtoria and clanger number one approach Max.

“Hey, I gotta go.”

“Chloe, what the hell?!” Rachel calls as she was pushed aside so I could get past her and the stupid maze ramp they put in.

“Hey skank! You getting yourself cleaned up before your trailer park performance?” The bitch Chase says in her I’m so much better than you voice and that smarmy ass smirk plastered across her plastic face.

The dumb barbie doll idiot next to her laughs as if play was just pressed on her, “Good one V. I heard she/he, whatever it is, has been hanging with the wannabe punk slut—"

As I get there, Max stands up, “Say what you want to me but don’t talk about Chloe like that.” Then she turns around and goes to walk away.

The bitch grabs her arm though, but I manage to pull her away, “What the fuck is your problem dude!!” I growl.

She looks at me with surprise at first but then narrows her eyes as Max says, “Chloe please don’t.”

I look at her with a frown but drop the bitch’s arm.

“Yeah, you should listen to the dirty trash slut—"

“You fuckin’ say one more word and I’ll smack your ugly hella nasty face up!!”

She opens her mouth to say something but Rachel comes over and steps in, “I really hope we don’t have a problem here Vicky?! I would just hella hate for you and your pretty little blouse to get all wet.” She backs her up to the small fountain wall and leans into her.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Am I in your space? It’s not making you uncomfortable is it?” She runs her fingers down the side of her face, “Or is this getting those hella rigid hidden insecurities you got, make you all hot under that tight stuffy collar of yours?” Rachel ends by straightening out her collar and slides her hands along her shoulders.

Chase stares back at her with the brightest, glowing red face and the hugest eyes I have ever seen before.

I start laughing at her and as her huge eyes start shifting about for an escape. Which she does get, just not the way she expected. Taylor puts her hand on Rachel’s shoulder, but she turns around and knocks Chase who stumbles into the water fountain onto her butt.

“Oh shit! Haha hella yes. The witch is melting.” I shriek and laugh with absolute delight watching that bitch get dunked and so does Rachel. But when I turn to Max, she looks almost horrified.

I quickly go over to her and grab her hand as I ask, “Hey, what’s up?”

She looks to me with these scared yet also kind of excited eyes but Chase shouts, “You are so dead you whore! And the rest of you breakfast club freaks better watch your backs!”

“Time to leave Chlo.” Rachel says and I see her run past me.

I look behind me and notice one of the security dudes coming over this way. So, I tug Max’s hand before I have to drop it as I tell her, “Come on hippie it’s time for you to put those little legs into action and chase me.”

She looks confused but when I point my thumb behind me, she looks then gasps, “Oh my dog. You can’t be cereal!” And looks back to me with wide but the same kind of excited eyes.

“Haha yeah, run Max!”

We both take off towards the parking lot as I laugh loud, feeling giddy with excitement and hear Max muttering curses next to me...

Once we are far enough away from school grounds we slow to a stop.

“Haha, oh man that was so fucking awesome! Did you see that bitches face? I’m gonna remember that for the rest of my life.” I exclaim with so much enjoyment.

“Yeah it hella was! I wish we got a pic of that. Hmm maybe someone else got a shot or vid of it. I gathered quite the crowd.” Rachel says with a big grin and gets her phone out.

She starts to do something on it and then asks, “So, what’s that princesses’ problem anyway? Come on you two, check social for that magic shot. I want to be the talk of the net.”

I roll my eyes as I get my phone out, “When don’t you want to be the one talked about Rachel?!”

She looks to me with a smirk, “I just give the people what they want Chloe.”

“Yeah, even if they don’t want it.” I retort.

She tilts her head to the side in thought for a moment before she says, “Ya know, I don’t think there has been anyone who doesn’t want it.” Then shrugs.

“I sure as hell don’t!” I mutter.

She gives me a look before turning her attention to Max, “Hey er, what’s your name—"

“Max!” I tell her with a slightly annoyed undertone.

“Right right, Max. Check ya feeds girl. You must want to see that face and keep it for future prosperity.”

“No erm, I would rather not.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be a hella downer. You must have some nerd friends to check.”

I watch Max shift uncomfortably as she replies quietly, “I don’t have a phone.”

I narrow my eyes at Rachel as she snorts a laugh, “Seriously?! Who the hell doesn’t have a cell nowadays? You some new-wave Amish or something?”

“Rachel, shut the fuck—" I growl.

But Max cuts me off, “Not everyone has the funds for such things. And not everyone needs any and all nobodies, people you have never met to validate that their someone. It just makes you insecure, a desperate poser like Victoria Chase! Jealous of everyone else, even though she has everything she could want but is still never satisfied.” She then storms off like an angry black cloud.

“Max, wait?” I call but she doesn’t stop or look back.

I scowl at Rachel, “You really are a piece of work! Why the fuck do you have to be like that?”

She crosses her arms and looks away, “I’m sorry, ok?”

“No, it’s not ok Rachel and I’m not the one you should be apologizing too. I’m sick of you being like this to my friends and me.” I basically hiss before I take off and try to catch up to Max...

***

I’ve been looking for a little while now, not really sure where she might have gone but I need to know she is ok—

“Chloe? Come on, slow down!” I hear Rachel once again shout out to me as she trails behind me.

I roll my eyes and shout back, “No! Now fuck off.”

“I’m sorry. Please just let me help?”

I sigh heavily and slow down so she can catch up to me, “Fine you can help. But if we find her and you decide to use that spiteful tongue of yours again. Then we’re done Rachel! It’s one thing for you to talk smack about me but don’t do it to my friends, especially Max.”

“Ok, I won’t.” She replies quietly.

“Good.”

We go silent for a little while after that as we head towards the beach...

I hear her take a breath before she says, “You asked why I do these things? I don’t really know, but I think maybe your friend Max is right and I am just insecure and desperate for validation. It’s like a drug and I crave the attention, no matter what kind it is... ugh, and I am sorry for how I’ve been to you. You’re right I’ve been a selfish ass and treated you like crap.”

I glance at her then away, “Apologies mean nothing until you prove it Rachel.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Max was the one who said I should actually talk to you and sort things out. So, I said to meet me tonight at the park with all of us.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She said that maybe we should clear the air, have it out as such. And that friends, especially long-time ones shouldn’t just throw away years of friendship. If there is something to be salvaged, then fix it.”

Rachel hums in thought and then nods, “I think she may be right and that girl knows what she is talking about. I would hate to lose more time than I already have with my friend because of my hella selfish ego boost.”

I look to her with a smirk which she does back.

After a moment she chuckles, “Ya know, Max is quite the rager. I didn’t think she had it in her. She doesn’t seem the type with how she lets those bitches treat her.”

“Yeah, she’s quite feisty. I have known her for a while now but I’ve never seen her do that before. Even with those assholes always on her case. She’s usually really timid and shy, especially around people she doesn’t know. But when she lets her guard down and opens up, she’s hella funny.”

Rachel looks at me for a moment with this weird face before its gone and she says, “She seems to trust you.”

I glance at her then shrug, “Maybe, I think she wants to at least. Even though I was kind of a douche to her, like everyone else when we first met.”

“How so?”

“I may have ignored her and treated her like the outcast weirdo and said it to her—"

“You told her that?” Rachel asks with her eyebrow raised and a tone of disbelief.

“I didn’t actually mean to, I thought it was in my head, which is still bad. But I said it out loud, amongst other things and she heard me of course.”

“And she still speaks to you now and didn’t give you a slap?”

“Well no, and I didn’t really give her a choice in the matter. I may have chased her down and kept at it until she caved.”

Rachel snorts a laugh, “You mean you wore her down because you’re like a whore on crack and just can’t give it up.”

I wrinkle my nose, “Gah, hella gross Rachel! And I’m not like that.”

She snickers, “Maybe not. But you are hella persistent when you really want something.” She gives me that same look again.

I’m about to retort because I think I know what she is getting at. But I notice Max sitting on a bench, near to where some trailers park up, one of which is Frank Bowers. It’s a pretty sketchy area and known around the bay as the off-beach trash dump trailer park, for drunks, druggies and local hookers to do business. Usually everyone steers clear of this area myself included.

“Why is she down here? This isn’t exactly a friendly place to be.”

I turn to Rachel, “I don’t know but you seem to like it or is it just a someone?” Her face turns to surprise, probably because I know she comes here to see Frank, “Just wait here. I don’t want you scaring her off again.”

“Ok, sure. Just don’t be too long. I don’t want people thinking I’m for hire.”

“Nooo, we wouldn’t want people to think that was true!” I retort with sarcasm.

“Asshole!”

I make my way over to her and carefully call, “Hey Max?”

She startles and quickly gets to her feet, “Chloe, what are you doing here?” And she looks about nervously.

I stop in front of her, “Well, you just took off and I wanted to make sure you were ok.”

“I’m fine. But you shouldn’t have come here.”

I knit my eyebrows together, “What, why?”

She crosses her arms and looks away, “It doesn’t matter. So, what did you want now you found me?”

I decide to try and lighten the mood - I’m not real good at the touchy-feely stuff and I don’t like seeing her upset, “I did warn you I would hunt you down and kick your ass if you run off from me again. And I also told you those little legs of yours can never get away from me.”

I watch as she looks back to me and there is this tiny little smile tugging at the corner of her lips. It makes me chuckle and feel slightly better about getting her to smile, even the smallest one she is doing.

She sighs and sits back on the bench, “I’m sorry Chloe.”

“What for?”

“For shouting and freaking out on your friend. I don’t know what came over me but I am sorry.”

I stare at her for moment then start laughing, “Seriously Max, do not worry your cute little hippie head about that. She hella deserved it. I think she was actually quite impressed... just like I was. You should get your hella rage on more often.”

She smiles bashfully with a blush and says quietly, “Well, I’m happy that I could impress you.”

I chuckle a little shyly when she says that but try to cover whatever that was by retorting, “Well you should. I’m not usually so easily impressed.”

She actually giggles and looks away embarrassed which I snicker at.

Once we calm down Max nods her head behind me and says, “You can tell Rachel she can come over here. She seems kind of uncomfortable and a little pissed at being left over there.”

I look back and snort a laugh as she paces back and forth with her arms crossed, “Nah, she’s all good over there. This is her kind of place, she’s here on a regular.”

Max looks a little uneasy when I tell her that and asks, “What do you mean Rachel’s a regular here?”

“She hangs about with the old crank Frank Bowers. We get our gear off him, I always meet him somewhere else though. I don’t fancy hanging about down here, I might get shanked or my wheels stolen. But Rachel has taken quite the shine to him I think, from what I’ve heard. Why’s that and why are you here?”

She shrugs awkwardly, “No reason really. And I was just wondering. Could we maybe go somewhere else?”

I frown at her answer and how uneasy she seems but I don’t get to ask as Rachel calls, “CHLO, CAN I COME OVER YET? I’LL PLAY NICE.”

I laugh and shout back, “FINE! WE’RE COMING NOW.” Then look to Max, “Let’s go hippie. We gotta still meet up with Trevor and Justin. Oh, and I’ve done the finishing touches on your, well our bucket list.”

She chuckles as we make our way over to Rachel.

“Let me guess, it’s a lot of nakedness and smoking pot?”

I snicker, “There may be some of the smoking involved—"

“Jesus, you took your hella sweet time! You two kissed and made up?”

I roll my eyes, “We never broke up.” Then I continue to Max, “It might also contain your naughty bits being on display a few times or maybe a lot of times.”

She groans as we start to move, “I told you I’m not stripping, streaking or whatever you have in store for my clothes.”

“Ooohh stripping I don’t think I have that one down. It was strippers and skinny dipping. But you can strip for me.” I tease and see her blush.

“What the hell are you two talking about and why am I not included in this?” Rachel asks completely confused as she stops in front of us.

“Because Rach, this is a bucket list for Max and me.”

“That’s hella unfair!”

“Please Rachel. You have already done everything and I doubt there is anything on here you haven’t.”

She gives a childish pout and crosses her arms, “But I could still help you do some things, get you set up. And also give you more ideas.”

“You wish! I have the most awesome ideas.” She huffs loudly which makes me snicker, “I don’t think we actually need you Rachel. But I’ll let the hippie decide if you’re welcome or not.”

I look to Max who very awkwardly shifts her eyes between Rachel and myself a few times.

“I um, I guess so—"

“Ha, yes! In your face Price.” Rachel shrieks excitedly.

“Fine, but there are some rules.”

She stops her triumphant win to ask, “What kind of rules?”

I smirk, “The kind that means you are a bystander and helping out. It’s only fair because you’ve done more a less all of it and we haven’t done basically any—"

“But—"

“Please just let me have this Rachel? You said you wanted to help me, then this will help.”

She stares for a moment but gives the most dramatic sounding sigh, “Fiiine alright, I will just help—” She goes to continue but gets interrupted.

“What are you—Rachel!” Frank says as he stops next to us with his dog.

“Hey, Frank.” She replies with an awkward air of shyness.

I snort a laugh, “Do you want us to leave, orrr?”

They both look to me with narrowed eyes and frank asks, well basically spits out in his ever so polite manner, “Price! What the hell you doing here?”

“Well a hella fucking hello to you too, you grouchy old bear!”

He goes to growl some shit back but his beady eyes shift to Max, just noticing her, I think. As Pompidou starts to nuzzle Max’s legs like he knows her. But that’s crazy right?

“I know you girlie. You and your old lady live with Merr—"

“No, I think you have me confused with someone else.” Max cuts him off before he can finish and she looks really unsettled.

“I never forget a face and I know—"

Rachel places her hand on Frank’s cheek and turns his attention to her, “Frankie, how about we go and get pomp’s some food and we can catch up?”

He seems to waver, with his eyes shifting to Max but does a small nod, “Sure. Come on Pompidou.” He pats his thigh for him to follow but not before giving Max a stare then walks off.

“I’ll catch you both later.” Rachel says with a tentative smile as she gives me a hug and says, “Don’t push her Chlo.”

I look at her confused as to what that is supposed to mean and then she approaches Max who shifts very uncomfortably. Even more so when Rachel leans into her and I can just about hear her say, “Trust her. She won’t judge you.”

She then turns away but looks back to say, “Oh and I still want in on this list.” Before heading off to catch up with Frank.

“Yeah, sure Rach.” I reply with confusion at what all that was about.

I shake my head after a little longer and look to Max, who is holding her arm nervously.

I clear my throat then ask, “So, what was all that about?”

“I would rather not say right now.”

“Hey erm, you ok?”

“Yep, I’m fine.” Is her very unconvincing hasty reply.

I sigh, “Ok Max, I’ll leave it. Do you want to get out of here, come hang with me still?”

She looks to me with a small smile, “Yeah, please.”

“Cool! Well come then hippie and I will let you have a sneaky peek at the hella amazeballs list I’ve come up with.”

Max chuckles, “Ok, I will follow your lead.” 

I give her a grin, “Yeah that’s right, you’ll indeed follow this.” I gesture to myself which she shakes her head at me amused, “And if you’re good I may let you chase me or if you’re hella good I’ll chase you again.”

She laughs loudly at that and I grin wide, really glad she is starting to relax again. I don’t know what all that was about before or how Frank knows her. Do I want to know? Hell yeah, I do because it seems like it really upsets her and she is also like this big mystery begging to be solved. But I won’t force it out of her, I want her to fully trust me and I think she has definitely started to a lot more...


	5. While the parents are away - Part 1

I’ve been rolling up and down the sidewalk a couple of blocks from my house for about 15 minutes now, as I wait for Max to get here. Granted I was a little early maybe half an hour early, but I couldn’t help it I felt excited about meeting up with her. And she’s only a little late so I’m not too worried that she isn’t here yet or not gonna bother turning up like some other person always does.

I finally managed to convince her to come back to mine so we could chill together. She always got evasive and off with me every other time I tried but I never got why. I think she only said yes, this time to shut me up, that and she ran out of excuses. And maybe also because I said mom and dad wouldn’t be there. They’ve actually gone away for the weekend on one of dads work things. He did tell me what it’s for but I wasn’t listening because I was too excited about being left on my own. Three whole days to have the house all to myself and no parents around. That’s hella awesome!

As I do a little spin in my chair I hear, “I suppose you’ve got ok moves. But they need some work.” From Max.

It makes me smile but I cover it up with a smirk as I come to a stop, “So who’s gonna teach me then, you?”

She gives me a little smirk back, “Oh no definitely not me. I don’t think there is enough time left in the entire universe to help you improve on those moves.”

It makes me want to burst out laughing but I manage to hold back and retort, “Oh ho, looks like someone’s getting hella big for their tiny boots. Let’s go then little hippie. I’ve been waiting for you to blow my mind with your hot booty shaking.”

This gets her smirk to falter and a small blush to form, “Well I wouldn’t want to show you up and embarrass you.”

I snicker and turn around, “Come on nerd you can dance for me back at mine.” Then start to head down the road.

Hearing Max groan after me, “Ugh Chloe, stop that or I’m not coming with you.”

“Sure thing, Dorkimus Maximus, I’ll stop. For now.”

I look to her with a grin and she rolls her eyes which I chuckle at and harder when she gives my shoulder a push.

As we walk well, I roll Max says quietly and sounds guilty too, “I’m sorry I was late. I hope you weren’t waiting too long.”

It makes me feel a little strange because I’m not used to someone apologizing for it or well actually turning up.

I shrug it off, “No problem hippie. I’ve only been waiting months for you to come around mine. But I’ll let it slide this once.” She gives me a small smile and I smirk back playfully.

“So, did you have a hot date that kept your attention and made you forget about meeting this sexiness?” I gesture to myself.

She glances at me then looks away, “I had to go home to get washed and changed first but couldn’t until—" She abruptly stops and shakes her head, “Anyway, after I walked here from the beach as fast as I could. But you know I’ve only got tiny legs so they can only go so fast.” She tries to joke but it doesn’t have her usual sarcasm or any heart behind it.

I’m trying to remember all of what she said because there is so much I want to ask. Like why she couldn’t go home, where was she before, especially to need a wash and change of clothes, it’s not even eleven o’clock. Not to mention she said the beach. She’s always down there and it would have taken ages to get from there to here.

Hmm but when I take a look at her she has gone into herself more, like where she is closing herself off. So, I decide against asking anything no matter how much I want to right now. I will just try and dig a little deeper later when she is relaxed and easier to talk to. It’s something I’ve found out from the amount of time we’ve spent together.

“It’s totally cool Max. You turned up so I’m hella grateful for that. And I guess you are right; with those tiny little legs you’ve got I’m surprised you’re here now and not at midnight.”

I give her a cheeky grin and it gets a smile then a small laugh out of her. I’d say that’s a mission accomplished for me.

“So, why were you really insistent that I came around to yours?” She asks in her unsure tone like she always does when she thinks someone has an ulterior motive.

With a shrug as we turn down my road I answer, “Well you won’t ever let me come over to yours, not that I know where you live because you won’t tell me. But I thought it would be cool to hangout and chill together, you know just us.”

I pause for a moment before I say this next bit because I don’t want it to sound bitchy or get it wrong.

“I know you get scared, well no that’s not the right word. You get shy intimidated as such and go into yourself when you’re around other people. I mean I kind of see why because of those assholes who treat you like a hella piece of shit!” 

I feel myself getting angry thinking about Bitchtoria and her clang of minions and how they treat her. They have stepped up their shit after the water fountain incident. But Max has basically forbidden me from saying or doing anything to them. She said I will just make it worse. It’s so hard though because I hate it and I hate seeing Max treated like she is worthless and deserves it. She pretends it doesn’t hurt or bother her but I know it does. No matter how big of a wall she builds I always see the cracks and bits crumbling away. So much more now with how close we have got.

With a breath I shake it off and continue, “But when it’s just us you seem to relax more and open up. Sure, I can still see you holding back just a little with me but it’s definitely not like when we first met. Especially when your guard is down. You’re really funny Max when you let yourself go. I just wish you would show other people this side of you and know we’re not all like the hella shit heads you’re used to.”

I’m met with silence and think that maybe I shouldn’t have said anything and she’s probably gonna run off or something.

I take a glance at her to see if she’s glaring at me with her black thundercloud way that can make you wither. But she is looking down with her arms crossed kind of hugging herself.

So, I sigh, “Are you going to—"

“I’m sorry if I’ve made it so you can’t hang-out with your friends when I’m around. I never wanted that and I’ll try harder for you Chloe.” She cuts in quietly like she has done something wrong and it makes me feel weird that she’s thinking this.

I take her arm and bring her to a stop, “That is totally not what I’m saying Max. I’m trying to tell you how cool I think you are and I want everyone else to see this too. You just have to let go sometimes. I mean I managed to claw my way into your life because I’m hella tenacious and had to have you in mine. No one runs from Chloe Price and now you can’t ever get away from me. And obviously because you can’t get enough of me and my awesomeness.”

That gets a laugh out of her which has me smiling and feeling good as I end up laughing too.

When we calm down, I start moving again as I tell her, “Look I’m not trying to make you into something else or change you. But I can see there is a hella cool little hippie inside there just dying to come out. So, don’t ever feel like you can’t be who you are.”

She takes a moment does finally say, “Thank you Chloe and I appreciate that you have been so patient with me. No one else would be or has...” It makes me smile and feel good hearing her say that, especially since she is very reluctant to show this more vulnerably soft side of herself. She has definitely done it a lot more and I’m proud she trusts me to do this.

But now I’m laughing when she says, “I think it’s because you are the single most relentless person I’ve ever met. You’re like a cockroach, in the sense that no matter what I do there is no getting rid of you.”

“You know, I should feel hella offended being compared to a cockroach. But the way you say it I’ll totally take it and own it like my bitch.”

“I’m sure you will.”

I look to her with a grin which makes her chuckle...

***

“So, welcome to cassa de Chloe.” I say as I open my front door.

“Come on hippie, don’t be shy.” I gesture for Max to come in when she seems to hesitate. She eventually comes in though and closes the door behind her.

But she just kind of lingers at the front door after. She’s looking around as she holds her arm in that nervous unsure way of hers.

“Hey Max, what’s up?”

She looks to me then away with a shrug, “I’m not sure what to do because this is new.”

I furrow my brow a little confused, “You’ve been round someone else’s before, right?”

She crosses her arms with a head shake and a quiet, “No.”

“Seriously hippie, like really, never?” I blurt out not thinking before I speak.

She kind of shrinks in on herself and seems like she might cry or runoff as she says in hurt covered by anger, “Yes really! You already know I’m total outcast and a complete loser. You’re the only person who has ever spoken to me and then not been a nasty asshole or set me up to be one. The only time I got invited anywhere was so people could laugh and take the piss and then they…” She sighs heavily and trails off.

Max almost did cry through that and once again I’m feeling like an ass and also feel so sorry for her. I know she hates that but I can’t help it because that’s so sad she hasn’t had anyone. No wonder she is totally guarded and always thinks me or someone else is setting her up—

“I think this was a mistake and I should go.” I suddenly hear her say.

It makes me start to freak out especially when she goes to open the door. It’s not like I can tackle her to the ground to stop her and she’s hella fast and sneaky when she runs off.

“No, Max wait!” I shout and quickly roll to the door to block it so she can’t open it.

She groans probably because she can’t escape now and grumbles, “You can’t just trap me in your house. I’m pretty sure that’s against the law.”

But I ignore it and hold onto her hand just in case she tries for the backdoor. I wouldn’t put it past her climbing out a window either.

“Why are you leaving?”

She won’t look at me and doesn’t answer so I say or more like beg which is hella bull. But if it gets her to stay here, I’ll do it.

“I’m sorry Max. You know my mouth just engages before I think. So please will you just stay?”

There is a little glance at me and I can see her waver so I lay it on a little thick, “You can’t just ditch the cripple and leave her all alone. That’s hella cruel dude!”

“And that is such an asshole thing to say Chloe—"

“So is leaving me hanging. We are going to stay here and have a hella good time. And if that means I have to take you hostage then I’ll totally do it. You know I will.”

After a moment of silence, she sighs heavily and says in defeat, “You are just insufferable Chloe Price! Is this how you got all your other friends?”

“What, my whole three friends?” I ask with a little humor.

She shrugs with an almost smile which has my grin start to form, “Nah they couldn’t get enough of the Price and hella love me just like you will.”

“If you say so.” She retorts but I can see that smile growing and I feel her relax a little.

“I do say so Max. I’m very loveable.”

She rolls her eyes, “Yes I’m sure you are.”

I snicker feeling good I got her smiling and even a small laugh out of her.

“Now let’s go and have this fun I’ve got planned—"

“Um, could you let go of me first?”

“Huh?” I start and look to her to see I’m still holding onto her.

I’m about to let go but stop to question, “Wait, you’re not just gonna bolt as soon as I let you go, are you?”

She does one huge eye roll, “No Chloe I’m not going to runoff.”

“Do you promise?”

“Yes, I promise.”

I eye her suspiciously for a moment before I reluctantly let her go, “Fine. But you better not because I’m trusting you and you know I’ll find you no matter where you go. You’ve been warned shortround!” I waggle my finger at her with narrowed eyes still watching her.

She tries not to smile at that but does snort a laugh when I point down the hallway and tell her, “Now move ya ass and get in my bedroom!”

“You know if I was a suspicious person, I would think you got me here under false pretenses.”

“How so?” I ask, then tell her, “Turn right.” When we get to the lounge and she stands there looking around.

She seems to take a moment and I hear her whisper with a sadness, “Your home is really nice.” Then a sigh. 

I’m about to ask if she is ok but she continues to answer my question, “Well you got me round here with just us, then you’ve basically held me hostage and guilted me into staying. And now you’re ordering me to your bedroom.”

She stops at the door and turns around to look at me with a smirk.

I can feel my eyes widen a little and blush forming as I reply with a slightly higher pitch, “You make it sound like I’m gonna try it on with you. Which I totally didn’t get you here for that.” 

I didn’t, did I? It is sounding like I did though. Parents gone invite people over and have a party or something. But I specifically told the others to not come around because I was busy and didn’t want to hang. I know I do like it when it’s just Max and me and I find myself always thinking about her and watching her, which sounds hella creepy.

I’m knocked from my thoughts hearing her snickering as she says, “Good I’m glad to hear it Chloe.”

I frown when she says that and take her arm, “Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What?”

“You sounding relieved that I’m not gonna just jump you. What’s so wrong with me? Why wouldn’t you want me too?” I ask with a little too much offence being taken.

Her eyebrows raise, “Are you cereal, you’re asking me that?”

I cross my arms and answer, “Damn right I am!”

“Wowser! I don’t know.” She starts to blush and shift awkwardly, “There’s nothing wrong with you—"

“But?”

She avoids eye contact, “There is no but. I’m just—"

“Just what?” I question but I can’t seem to stop myself and I feel almost panicked about her answer. What the hell is the matter with me, why do I care?

Max is now completely beet red as she blurts out, “Just nothing. I think you’re beautiful but it’s so weird and I’ve never even kiss—" She abruptly stops with the widest eyes then, “I need to go!” And makes the quickest exit.

And I’m just left completely gob-smacked and my mind is reeling after that. And now I’m questioning everything she said. Like she said I was beautiful Max said I was beautiful. No one has ever called me that before. Does she like me? But she said it’s weird. Is that because it’s me or because I’m a girl? And was she gonna say she’s never kissed anyone? I am so confused and frustrated with a million questions now.

“Ugh, well fucking done Chloe! You just had to keep pushing her and now she’s not gonna talk to you again. But I don’t want that. I really like being around her. I think I like...”

I shake my head to get out of this train of thought and turn around as I mutter, “I need to go find her and try to put this right.” And head to the front door.

“I’m not sure where to start though. Hmm maybe the beach again?”

But as I open the door I don’t need to go far because sat on the curb is Max.

I kind of hesitate for a moment not sure what to do and I don’t want to scare her off.

But with a breath I roll down the slope and slowly approach her.

I stop just behind her then say quietly, “I’m sorry Max. That was a hella dick thing for me to pressure you like that. I don’t even know why I was doing it.” Well I think I do but I’m too gutless to admit it.

She shrugs, “It’s fine Chloe. And I’m sorry for lying.”

“Lying about what?” I quickly ask with a little panic starting to rise that she didn’t mean what she said before.

“I promised that I wouldn’t run away from you again, but I did.”

I feel relief at that, “Oh, that’s totally cool Max. And thanks for not running too far this time. I don’t think I’ve had so much exercise before with us constantly chasing each other. You’re keeping me hella fit.”

She glances behind at me with a small smile, which gives me this little flutter in my chest and I smile back.

I take a breath before I ask, “Will you come back inside, please? We can talk about what happened before or totally ignore it, completely up to you. But I don’t want you to leave Max.”

At first, I don’t think she’s going to say anything and maybe I’ve messed it all up.

But she eventually stands up dusts her butt down, which I so didn’t check out, before she turns around to face me.

“Could we just go in and have this fun you mentioned and leave everything else for now?”

“Sure Max, we can totally do that. Come on.” I tell her with a smile and usher her with me.

She smiles back and follows along next to me as we make our way back inside...


	6. While the parents are away - Part 2

“Damnit! Hella unfair dude. Are you sure you haven’t played this before?” I ask Max when she beats me for the third time in a row on Kung Fu Chaos.

After we came back indoors, we went to my room and I put some music on then we decided to play on the Xbox. We’ve been playing for a little while now different games and I was winning at the first. But once Max got the hang of it, she basically owned me on whatever we played. I don’t really care though because I’m having such a good time.

She looks to me with a smug grin, “Nope I haven’t. You just suck Price and I rule! Now bow before me and my greatness.”

I try to narrow my eyes at her in a shut it way but it doesn’t happen and I just end up laughing.

“Looks like someone’s taken their big girl pills today. I could have totally beat you but I was being kind and took it hella easy on you.”

“Uh huh. I’m sure you were.”

I roll my eyes, “Whatever nerd! Now I’m gonna hella whip your ass at Skate in a minute but first I need a smoke.”

She shrugs and picks up her camera, “Ok. I don’t mind what I beat you at. It’s all the same to me.”

It makes me chuckle at her getting all cocky. I actually quite like it and it’s nice seeing her more confident, relaxing and having fun.

She raises her camera poised at me which she tends to do all the time now. I used to moan about it but I’ve become quite accustomed to it and I barely notice. It makes me feel good about myself that she thinks I’m worth taking photos of.

I stick my tongue out at her which she chuckles at and takes the photo anyway.

“I’m starting to think you’ve got yourself a hella fetish for a bit of Chloe in ya lens.” I tease her.

She rolls her eyes and I snicker as I try to grab the camera when she takes another one of me.

“You wish Price! Now hurry up so I can kick your butt at something else.”

I kinda do wish yeah I mutter internally as I say, “I should start charging you a fee every time you take them of me now. I’d be so rich. I am hella worthy of cash for my hotness after all.”

Max snorts a laugh, “How do you know I haven’t been selling them already and made a mint? I’m sitting on a fortune from your face alone.”

“Haha you better not hippie, well unless I can get in on the action. Then you can sit on my face whenever you want.”

She blushes as she groans, “Dog Chloe stop that! You’re so gross.”

I snicker as I lean over to my bedside cabinet and grab my smoking supplies, then start rolling up a joint.

“You couldn’t be a babe and crack the window open for me, could you?” I ask not thinking before I say it.

Max seems to fluster and I can see that small blush start to grow as she stands up, “Yeah sure Chlo.”

It’s hella cute but I try to focus on what I’m doing and not think too much on it.

She comes back over and sits on the chair next to my bed. I did say she could sit on here with me but she said she was fine where she was.

I spark up the joint and take a deep pull in of the smoke. I hold it for a few seconds before I blow it out with a happy hum.

As I take another pull, I hear Max ask, “Would, I mean, can I try it please?”

I almost choke on the smoke but manage to keep it together and look to her, “Totally Max. But are you sure? I don’t want you to think you have too.”

“Yes, I’m sure Chloe.”

“Cool and it’s another thing off the list. Well um, you still got your drink?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Because you’re gonna need it.” She knits her eyebrows together confused so I tell her, “You will cough your guts up the first couple of pulls and your throat will burn. But the drink will help to soothe it slightly.”

“Oook. I’ve got to say, you’re not really selling this Chloe.” And I can hear the nerves in her tone.

“It’s cool Max, trust me. Everyone chokes up the first time.”

I spark the joint back up then explain, “Right, have a sip of your water first just to moisten up your throat a little. A dry one will hurt more and definitely make you cough even worse.” 

She does what I said and says again, “Yeah, you’re still not selling this.”

“Chill dude it’s all good and gonna be hella awesome!” She hums with a nervous smile but I carry on, “Ok so here, hold it however your comfortable it doesn’t matter.”

She takes hold of the joint between her finger and thumb then looks at me expectantly.

“You don’t want to have a big pull, just a small one then inhale gentle. Don’t try to do it to quickly or hold it in for too long, ok?”

She nods but I can still see those nerves so I start to tell her, “You don’t have to do it Max it—"

But she cuts me off, “No, I want too.”

I watch her intently as she hesitantly brings it up to her lips then takes a pull. But as soon as the smoke goes in, she starts to cough her guts up, which is completely normal.

I take the joint from her as she wheezes and chokes with eyes streaming and she grabs the water.

“Ugh! Oh wowser, that’s gross...”

As she chugs some water down, I say, “Not bad hippie. I was so much worse than you were. I thought I could handle it and tried to be a hella boss but just looked like a dick.”

She groans, “That’s so nasty and burns like a bitch.”

“Haha yeah it does, but only because you’re a newb and haven’t built up ya throat yet.”

“Why would you though, if it’s that bad?”

“Because it’s gonna get so hella good once you push through the barrier. Mmm then that sweet sweet bliss hits you.” I tell her and take a pull myself, “You don’t have to do it anymore Max it’s cool—"

“No, I’m going to do this!” She cuts in with determination and snatches the joint up.

It makes me laugh, “Wow this little hippie is hella feisty. Now you show that joint who’s boss!”

She gives me a small scowl which is just adorable as she takes another pull. But again, she starts choking, not as much as before though.

I take the joint again and have a pull while she drinks some water and tries not to cough.

As I smoke, I get an idea. Something I’ve not tried and I probably shouldn’t but once again my mouth engages before I even realize.

“Hey Max, come up here.”

She wipes her eyes and looks to me with confusion, “What?”

“We’re gonna try something and I need you to come up here because it’s easier for you than me maneuvering.”

She seems a little reluctant but I pat the spot next to me and say, “Sit here facing me.” And she does climb on.

“What are we doing?” She asks nervously.

“I’m going to help you and it should make it a lot easier for you.”

She watches me curiously as I sit myself up straight and then take a big pull. I place the joint in the ashtray feeling my heart pounding with nerves as I lean forward.

But Max jolts back a little, “What are you doing?”

I feel myself deflate and my cheeks heat up as I blow the smoke out and answer, “I’m going to give you a shotgun.”

She seems a little confused, “A what?”

“A shotgun. I’ll blow the smoke into your mouth. It will make it less harsh for you. It’s cool if you don’t want to Max.”

I’m nervous but not sure why as I wait for her answer. It’s not like I’m gonna kiss her or want too, is it?

She eventually nods after staring at me a little longer, “Ok. We can do that.”

I can’t help smiling and feel excited when she says that. So, I quickly take another big pull before I lean forward.

Max doesn’t back away this time but I see her eyes widen more as I can’t seem to stop staring into them. Those steely blue eyes of hers that have the slightest flecks of green in them I can see this close.

I can feel her breath on my lips that are mere millimeters from hers and it’s almost like I’m being pulled to them. But I use all my strength not to and gently exhale the smoke into her mouth.

It takes me a moment to remember myself because I’m still staring into her eyes and haven’t moved back. So, I reluctantly move away and watch her blow the smoke out, hearing only the slightest little cough come out.

“Wow...” She breathes out in an almost dreamy tone.

It gives me that fluttering in my chest and I feel really good. My grin grows seeing a blush on her cheeks, which I definitely have on mine.

“Good right?”

“Y-yeah it really was, I mean is.” She stutters and sounds a little flustered.

I don’t think and offer, “We can do it again if you want?”

But Max instantly replies, “Ok.”

“Ooohh I hella like this eager side of you Maximus.” I tease her but it’s mostly to cover up how much I want to do it.

“Shut up and get on with it.” She retorts and then giggles which is so cute and makes me laugh.

“Someone’s turning into a green monster. But it’s hella awesome!”

I take another big pull and do the same thing as before. She takes it really well and barely a cough leaves her mouth.

“Max, taking it like a boss!” I cheer her on and have a couple of pulls myself.

“Mmm that does, is better now. Tastes nicer too.” She says with a small giggle.

It makes me laugh again at her cute face and I know she could do it herself now. But I’m enjoying doing this and if I’m reading her right, I think she is too.

So, I offer, “Want to go again Super Max?”

“Yes!” She almost shouts with a small bounce.

“Ha, you’re gonna be a hella awesome stoner. Try and hold the smoke in for a little longer this time.”

This time I take a slightly bigger pull and lean in as before. I don’t know why but I place my hand on her cheek and run my thumb over her lips. Her eyes were a little dopey but they have widened more than last time.

I begin to exhale the smoke into her mouth as our eyes are locked. It feels different than the first time like this explosion of nervous excitement. Something I haven’t felt before but I want it.

I don’t move away as she exhales the tiny amount of smoke and I keep my hand on her cheek.

We stay like this in silence, but it’s not awkward more nervous but a good nervous as we look into each other’s eyes.

I wet my lips then ask quietly, “Can we try something else?”

She does a small nod with a whispered, “Yes.” And it sets off my heart into this galloping beat and I think she can more than likely hear it.

I look into her eyes for a few seconds more before I close mine and tilt my head just a little to the side.

As soon as I connect our lips and feel hers on mine, I get this immense shot of pleasure like electricity shoot through my body. I hear her exhale a breath from her nose and feel her hand placed on mine that is on my thigh.

My hairs are standing on end as I slightly pull back with, “Wow um, you ok with this?” And I’m begging internally for her to say yes.

She doesn’t answer but instead places her hand on my cheek and then presses her lips to mine.

Fuck, it is actually better than before, like what the hell is this? It’s incredible! And oh god I can’t help this small moan when she softly slides her hand from my cheek and down my neck. Then I feel her lips form this tiny smirk but right now I couldn’t care less because this is awesome.

I want to go further but I don’t want to push her too far if she’s not ready or doesn’t want to. I feel like I need to ask her first.

So, with a pounding heart I pull away and place my forehead to hers and look into her eyes, “Mmm can I kiss you properly Max?”

“I um, I—” She starts to stutter with nerves.

Which makes my heart sink so I say, “No it’s cool. I didn’t mean to—"

But she pecks my lips which shuts me up before she starts really embarrassed, “No I want to. It’s just I’ve never you know... kissed anybody before. And I know that’s the lamest thing ever but no—"

I don’t let her finish this time and kiss her.

“That’s not lame Max. I’ve kissed two people, only one properly and that was literally years ago before I had my accident.”

Her eyes widen and she sounds surprised when she asks, “Really?”

I’m feeling embarrassed but relaxed as well when I tell her, “Yeah really. I was always more into school when I was younger than boys. They never really interested me either especially after my first kiss. It was like bleurgh why would ya and I think I was even gay back then probably why I didn’t like it. But after my accident happened people all drifted away from me. Boys girls’ friends the lot, well apart from Justin and Trevor but everyone else totally ditched me. So yeah, if you’re lame then I’m even lamer.”

“But you’re so cool and nice and well you know...” She trails off at the end and averts her eyes.

I can feel myself blush but it feels good knowing she thinks this. And I think I know what she was going to say.

“And beautiful right?” I can’t help asking with a tease in tone.

She slumps her head to my shoulder with a groan, “Oh dog! You said we didn’t need to talk about that.”

“Haha ok, I’m sorry.”

I rub her back and place my hand under her chin to lift her head up. She is blushing profusely but it’s so cute.

With a smirk and eager to start I ask, “Soo if we’re not gonna talk about that can we make out instead?”

She tries not to laugh but her lips curl up into a smile before she giggles, “Yes please let’s do that instead.”

“Awesome! Hella good choice.” I say with excitement which she laughs at and I do too.

Once I’m able to calm myself down, well my giddy laughter anyway, I try not to think too much which is almost impossible.

I place one hand on her waist and the other on her cheek, “Just stop me if you don’t want to carry on, ok?”

She smiles, “It’s very sweet that you keep checking with me, but I just want you to kiss me now.”

It gives me this buzzing feeling when she says that, “Mmm whatever you say hippie.” And I lean in to press my lips to hers.

I’m feeling a lot more at ease and confident this time and I think Max is too. We kiss like this for a few more seconds before I can’t hold back any longer and open my mouth just a little and press the tip of my tongue between her lips. She gets the hint and opens her mouth more. We both seem to get used to this quite quickly almost guiding each other with opened mouthed soft lips connecting perfectly. I know I’ve kissed someone before but that was so long ago and I didn’t really know what I was doing and neither did he. But Max and I just seem to fit together awesomely and this feels so amazing.

But as I go to introduce my tongue she pulls back. I feel my heart sink and deflate thinking she wants to stop and wasn’t enjoying it like I was.

“Are you ok?” I ask and hear my voice come out raspy.

“Definitely.” She instantly replies which is slightly confusing as to why she stopped the kiss.

Yet I don’t get to question this because she asks, “Could we maybe move?”

“Move?”

“Yeah it’s just a little awkward is all in this position.”

I’m feeling so relieved that she doesn’t want to stop and only wants to get more comfortable.

“Totally ok Max. How—" I start but I needn’t have bothered because she straddles me and answers my question with that.

“Is this ok? I’m not hurt—"

“Hella ok and so much better.” I cut her off and feel like I’m in a dream right now, like the best dream ever!

With a grin up at her I place my hand on her cheek and bring her down to me. I don’t hang about feeling eager to get back to where we left off and I’m dying to feel and taste her. So, I slip my tongue into her mouth and as soon as ours touch we both moan at the contact. And oh my god that sound she made had my whole body shuddering in pleasure.

I wrap my arms around her and bring her into me as she holds my face in her hands.

“Fuck, this is amazing! You’re awesome.” I mumble into the kiss before carrying on.

I feel her lips form a smile as mine do the same and I run one hand to her neck and the other through her hair. This elicits a hotter sounding moan from her and has my stomach roll that I made it happen.

Then her hands start to trail down my back which feels great, until it’s at the point near the bottom where I can’t really feel and then nothing. But then I don’t know what she does but it gives me this huge shot of pleasure like I’ve never felt before. Well maybe when I was a little younger before my accident and I was discovering things about my body. But what she just done was so much better, like nothing else and I didn’t know I could feel anything down there. I tried a couple of times but couldn’t really get an angle for entry and feeling nothing otherwise I got disheartened and didn’t bother.

I can’t help an involuntary groan moan type thing come out and pull back from the kiss panting.

“Oh my god, did I hurt you?” Max immediately asks with panic in tone. She obviously took my noises and breaking the kiss as a sign of discomfort.

But I’m quick to reassure her she couldn’t be more wrong and hold onto her when she goes to get off my lap.

“Absolutely not, the complete opposite in-fact.”

She seems unconvinced and maybe confused about my answer.

So, I try to explain, “Well um, whatever you done to my back just now kind of made me feel something.”

I’m hoping she gets it because to have to say to the girl you’ve literally just started making out with that you made my pussy stir for the first time. Well that’s gonna be hella embarrassing.

But no such luck it seems as her brow furrows deeper and she asks, “Felt something, what?”

“Ugh, ok you obviously know I can’t feel anything below the waist, right?” She nods so I continue, “Well I didn’t think I could feel anything in the um, you know, the sex department.”

She gives a confused, “Oh...” before her eyes widen and she realizes what I’m saying and does a louder surprised, “Oh!”

I can feel I’m blushing but still say, “Yeah. Whatever you done to my back it you know made something in me stir.”

I’m so confused and embarrassed but also elated from what I felt. I thought feeling any kind of sexual things was gone with my lower half but it seems it might not be. I don’t want to get my hopes up too much in case I’m wrong, but it’s hard not to.

“So, I didn’t hurt you?” Max asks still unsure.

I tighten my arms around her, “Definitely not.” She starts to smile at that, “It felt awesome Max.”

She gives me a shy kiss before saying, “Well I’m glad you liked it.”

My grin widens as I start asking before thinking once again, “I know It’s weird, but would you maybe do what you done before again?”

She raises her eyebrow, “You want me to see if I can make you?”

“Not like a full one and only on my back.” I’m quick to tell her. Even though I would hella love to see if she could get more and the thought of her touching me, oh man! But that is so too soon.

“I just wanted to see if it was like a fluke or something. I’ve never felt anything there before. But it’s totally cool and I said it was weird.”

“No, it’s not weird. I think it’s only natural you would want to know.” She says with a smile and it makes me feel nice and really comforted by her, “This day has turned into something so different than what I thought it would.”

I chuckle at that, “You’re telling me. I didn’t think I would be making out with a hella pretty and really cute girl in my bed. And then have said girl make me feel something I never have before. Today is turning into one hella awesome day!”

She giggles with a blush, “I think you must be completely blind and definitely talking about someone else. But I’ll agree with you that this is an awesome day.”

I want to protest about her always putting herself down like that. But I don’t get a chance as she captures my lips with hers.

Mmm and I’m completely ok with that and think I could just make out with her all day everyday...

As we continue to kiss which is so good, I feel her hands start to wander down my back. This has my excitement and anticipation climbing even more than it was.

But then it happens again and I pull back with a moan of pleasure, “Oh wow yeah! That mmm whatever you just done or are doing is totally the spot.”

Max gets this proud face as she looks down at me and I look up at her probably with a deliriously goofy happy face. But we don’t stop and connect our lips once again...

***

We have been making out for I don’t even know how long but I couldn’t care less. Our hands have roamed even under tops to touch more of each other which is so hella good. Mmm and hers keep doing that thing on my back and many other places that make me moan and whimper with immense pleasure. Ha and hesitant touches on my boobs which is OH MY GOD AWESOME! It feels like she is mapping out my body to see what makes me tick and moan. It seems to encourage her and she smiles or smirks and does it more. But she can do whatever she wants to me wherever she wants because it’s fucking incredible!

“Mmm I could just kiss you forever. You’re so awesome at it and your lips are hella sexy. I want to get stuck to them.” I mumble like a dork but it’s true.

It makes her giggle with her rosy flushed cheeks lidded eyes and those plump red lips that I help myself to again.

But it doesn’t last long until we both jump and separate when there is a tapping noise on the window.

I look to the side and feel my whole body fall cold. Standing at it is Justin, Trevor, Rachel and some dudes I don’t know. They all have the widest eyes gaping mouths and just faces of complete shock.

All I can do is sit here staring at them as they stare back but I don’t think I can move or talk right now.

But then Max takes my arms from around her and quickly jumps off me then the bed.

I manage to turn my attention to her and ask, “What are you doing?” As I watch as she packs her stuff into her bag.

“I’m going to take off. It’s probably for the best.”

It hurts when she says that and I tell her as I manage to roll to the side and take her hand, “No, please don’t go—” But she pulls away and it’s like a stabbing pain is sent into my chest.

“Chlo let us in?” Rachel shouts.

I glare over at the window and growl, “Fuck off!” Then look back to Max and see her at the door, “Please don’t go because of them. I didn’t even invite them here.”

“I don’t think—"

As quick as I can I maneuver myself off the bed and into my wheelchair as I ask, “Why? We were having a hella good time, right? Well I know I was.” I finish quietly, feeling stupid begging but mostly just hurt and sad.

I wheel over to the window with a scowl at Rachel because I know it will be her idea to have come here. Then I close the blind on them and turn back to Max.

“I won’t even invite them in if you don’t want me too, I don’t want too. I’m not bothered about seeing them trust me.”

I see her shoulders slump before she turns around and crosses her arms, “No I don’t want that. I’m not fussed they are here. It’s just...”

“Just what?” I ask as I roll up to her and take her hand.

She doesn’t pull away this time but I can still sense she wants too as she answers, “The fact they saw us you know.”

“Making out?”

“Well yes and no.”

“So, I don’t care and they won’t give a shit.”

“But I do.” She says with hurt and looks it too.

But I don’t get it and ask, “Why would you care?”

“Because you’re not bullied for being the white trailer trash slut or dyke and made fun of everyday for that and being the complete weirdo outcast.”

“But you’re not any of that, I know you’re not. You are just Max to me. A hot new kissing version of you who does things to me I didn’t know were possible.” I kind of lose my train of thought and what I was trying to say.

“Sorry, but um like I said you’re not that and you know who you are. That’s all that matters.”

“It doesn’t stop people from doing it to me though. And now they’ll have all the ammo they need to make my life even more hell.”

“Is it because I’m a girl or just because it’s me?” I ask but fearing what she might say.

She frowns at me, “No of course it’s not because it’s you. You’re perfect and nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. But you are going to regret what we done, that’s if you haven’t already. Why would someone like you be interested in a complete loser such as myself?”

“Hey! Do not talk about yourself like that and don’t tell me what I’ll regret, that will just piss me off if anything. I will kiss who the fuck I want to kiss and I wanted to kiss you. I still want to do it because that was so good. So, fuck those bitches, I’ll hella kick the shit outta them if they say something! Well I won’t kick ‘em ‘cos I can’t so I’ll just ram into them with my chair then use my fists...” I finally trail off when I realize I’m just rambling crap out.

I take a glance at Max when I hear this snort noise and see her trying not to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” I ask but I think I already know.

She does answer albeit through chuckles she can’t hold back, “I’m sorry it’s just you were rolling all this stuff out and you got cuter and cuter the more you said. It almost seemed like you didn’t know you were talking.”

I’m trying to be offended by that but it doesn’t happen and I end up grinning at her.

But before I get to say anything, I hear knocking on the backdoor I think it is now and shouting to be let in.

I groan and look to Max, “How about we just stay here and make out some more and totally forget about them?”

She smiles, “As much as I would like that—"

“Yeah you hella would.” I cut in with a smirk which makes her laugh.

“But they are your friends and obviously want to hang out with you.”

“No, two of them are my friends, one is very close to being a hella distant memory and the others, I have no clue who they are. And they’re only here for a free house anyway.”

“Ha you’re cute.”

“Yeah and hella beautiful don’t forget.” I tease.

She gets a small blush as she rolls her eyes, “You’re never going to let me forget about that are you?”

“No way. It’s hella awesome! You think I’m beautiful. No one’s ever thought that about me or said it. So, I’m going to say it all the time now.”

“Please don’t.”

I snicker when she says that and shake my head, “I promise nothing hippie.”

She rolls her eyes but there is a small amused smile still, “Fine! Just use it sparingly. Now you should probably go let those people in before they break in or the door down.”

I sigh with disappointment, “Yeah ok. But I still think we should stay here.”

Just before we leave the room, I have to know something first so I ask, “Hey um Max?”

She looks back to me, “Yeah Chlo?”

“Can we still like make out and stuff? I’ll be hella discreet so no one knows if you don’t want them too and no pressure. But I really want to keep kissing you.” I kind of desperately ask but with but with a whole load of hope intone too.

She doesn’t answer but what she does do is lean down and give me a kiss. I think this is maybe my answer and it has me excited.

When Max pulls back, she also confirms it for me, “I think we might be able to arrange something. And I really want to kiss you too.”

“Mmm yeah you do. I’m very kissable.”

I give her a cheeky grin and she laughs as we go into the lounge and I decide to let the others in. Not that I’m ecstatic about it and hope they don’t stay too long...


	7. While the parents are away - Part 3 of 3

“Sooo you and Max huh?” Rachel asks in her prying gossip voice as we share a joint outside together.

I give an internal eye roll and look to her, “Max and I what?” Then have a swig of my beer.

“You know exactly what! Are you, ya know?” She places two fingers to her mouth then sticks her tongue through the middle of them.

I wrinkle my nose, “Gross Rachel! And I don’t know what’chu are on about.”

“Oh, don’t give me that Chloe. You were not even an hour ago hella eating each other. And you, I’ve never seen you look so deliriously happy before. So, what’s up with that?”

I groan, “Nothings up with anything. I think your eyes are totally playin’ tricks. We were just smoking and chillin’ together.”

She snorts a laugh, “You are such a hella dick Chlo. But now I get why you didn’t want to hang or any of us round. You wanted to get some!”

“Jesus Rach, it’s not like that. And don’t you go saying anything to her or anyone else!” I warn her.

“Haha oh wow. I thought you’d be shouting it from the rooftops that you’ve finally got someone. But you almost sound embarrassed or ashamed.”

“We’re not even together so shut it! And it’s not me who wants to keep quiet it’s Max. I think she’s scared of what others will do and say. That or she really is embarrassed of me. She said it’s weird.” I mumble at the end because I’m nervous this is why and she doesn’t want to be seen with me in that way. Wouldn’t be the first person to reject me. It would just be another one to add to the very long list of people who can’t accept me the way I am.

With a sigh I look back to Rachel who is staring at me with curiously scrutinizing eyes.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

She shakes her head with an apologetic, “Sorry.” Which is weird coming from her and watch as she looks away, takes a pull of the joint then has swig of her drink.

After a moment she looks back to me and carefully says, “I don’t think she’s embarrassed about you Chlo. I think it’s anything but that.”

“How would you know? You’re never around.” I grumble into my beer.

She winces at that and sounds guilty when she says, “I know and I know I’ve been the worst friend to you Chloe. I have no excuses either. But I’m gonna hella try harder to be better and be here for you more.”

I shrug and look away, “Whatever, I’m over it. You’ve said all this before so I won’t hold my breath.”

“And I totally deserve that. But I’m gonna still try. And as my new and hella improved self, I’ll start by giving you some advice—"

“Never take advice from Rachel Amber?” I tease.

She snorts, “That’s a given. But seriously on you and Max—"

“Ugh, there is no me and Max!” I groan.

But she ignores me, “On you and Max. I think you two are kind of perfect for each other. She has so much shit to deal with either at school or at home,” I’m confused when she says at home because how the hell does she know? I don’t even know about her home life, well not a lot anyway.

Yet Rachel is oblivious to my confusion as she carries on, “But when she’s with you Max is a totally different person as you are with her. And yes, I have seen on the rare occasion I’ve been hanging with you.” She gives me a look of I know I haven’t been there when I go to butt in, “She’s so lively, all smiles laughter and total trust in you. The same as you are with her and that’s just a little of what I’ve seen. But I’ve also seen her when you’re not there. She is the complete opposite and it’s actually heartbreaking to see her.”

I’m about to question once again how she knows this, like when I’m not there, but I hear the front door bell go.

So, I groan with annoyance, “That better not be more people Rachel? There’s too many here already! I didn’t want anyone over in the first place.”

She gives me a sheepish grin and stands up, “It may be some more people—"

“Argh for fuck sake Rach! Tell ‘em to fuck off I don’t want them here.”

“I’m sorry.” She says not sounding sorry whatsoever and goes to open the patio door, “You just wanted the place to yourself, so you and Max could have that alone time you’ve been dreaming of since you met her.”

“Gah! Get lost and take those unwanted dicks with you.”

She snickers and goes inside as I sigh feeling a little pissed off and annoyed. Partly because I don’t want people here and they’re messing the house up. But mostly because I was having an awesome time with Max before all of this.

Shit, I left Max in there by herself for a while now to come out here and have a smoke. I hope she is ok?

So, I make my way back indoors and as I do, I get hit by a big cloud of weed. This pisses me off further because I specifically told them not to smoke inside the house. It’s one thing for me to smoke in my room by myself with the window open but it’s another when it’s throughout the whole house. Mom and dad trusted me which is a hard thing to get them to do, especially to leave me on my own. They are over protective with me enough ever since the accident. And while I do take some liberties with them, I don’t disrespect them.

I look over with narrowed eyes to whoever the dude is smoking a bowl right now, “Yo shithead! I told you no smoking in the fucking house!”

He looks to me with his buzzed face and laughs, “Chill dude! It’s all good.” And then carries on smoking.

Which makes me bristle, “I’m gonna ram that down your throat if you don’t get the fuck out now!”

Before anything else can be said Rachel comes in and grabs his arm, “Zee, get your hella dumbass up now and outside. And you two.” She points to a girl and guy I don’t know.

She looks to me with an apologetic smile but I continue to scowl at her and him as they walk past.

Then I hear him say, “What the fucks up with her? You said she was cool Rach. Fucking poser more like!”

“Fuck off you punk ass bitch! Don’t come back in or I’ll nut ya.” I growl.

With my anger building I look around the room to see where Max is but she isn’t here or the kitchen. But I notice Justin and Trevor in there though so I go over to them.

“Hey Chloe. You ok?”

“I’m awesome J’ can’t you tell?”

“Yeah, this sucks huh? Rach said you were cool with it but we didn’t know all these other people would be here.”

“Of course, she did.” I mutter.

“Sorry Price we can bounce. It’s totally cool.” Trevor offers.

I shake my head with a sigh, “No you two are fine. It’s these other dudes that are here and takin’ the piss.”

“We can go all rage mode on ‘em if you want?” Justin offers with a grin.

And Trevor agrees, “Totally Price. We’ve got’chu!”

It makes me smile, “Yeah as much as I want to pee my pants with laughter watching you two get ya ass’s kicked. I don’t want the carpets ruined more than they already have been. Bloods a hella bitch to get out.”

“Ouch Price. We’re the Hardcore Bay Boys and can totally take on anyone. But those words cut deep dude.”

I snicker and tease, “Princess Bay Sisters more like.” They gasp but then chuckle too, “Seriously though thanks for the offer, I appreciate it... I don’t suppose you’ve seen Max anywhere, have you?”

“No sorry Chloe. We told a couple of dudes who kept getting up in her space and trying to make her drink to get lost. Then she headed towards your room, which we’re keeping guard on so no punks can go in. But I haven’t seen her since then. I don’t think this is her thing, it’s not even our thing with this lot. She told us she was cool but seemed a lot more nervous and on edge than when it’s just us.”

It makes my anger build hearing that but also a little panic that she might have just taken off.

“Thanks guys. I appreciate you looking out for her. I’ll catch you in a bit.”

I head over to my room and try to ignore the people here messing everything up; spilling booze on the floor, I see someone just do.

When I open the door, I see Max sitting on my bed doodling in her journal and I feel relief wash over me.

She jumps and whips her head up at me then smiles, but it seems a little off and she sounds guilty when she says, “I’m sorry Chloe. I hope you don’t mind I came into your room without asking? I know you didn’t want anybody in here.”

With a smile I close the door behind me and lock it so no shits can get in then roll down to her.

“Don’t apologize. You are the only one I would want in here.” I pause for a moment and take a breath before I say quietly, “I was worried you might have taken off. But I’m happy you’re still here.” I look away with an awkward shrug.

“I promised you I wouldn’t run off, didn’t I?”

I take a glance to see her looking at me with a smile. I can’t help but smile back and then chuckle embarrassed.

“I guess you did. But I would have totally understood if you wanted too. I know I want to. I can’t stand this lot.”

Max starts to frown a little with I think worry and seems like she’s going to ask me about it. But I don’t want to bring us down by complaining.

So, I clear my throat and ask with a smirk, “So hippie, you got room on there for one more?”

“Have I got room on your own bed for you?” I nod and she shakes her head, “No sorry I don’t think there is. I’m just sooo comfortable.” And she spreads herself over it.

I snort and start to maneuver out of my chair, “Shove up shortround or I’ll hella lay on you.”

She squeaks and scrambles to move out of the way which I snicker at, “Don’t pretend, I know you hella want it.”

She has a small blush when I look to her and I can’t help my mouth, “You’re so cute!” And she rolls her eyes at me.

I chuckle at her trying to be unimpressed with me face, “Getting cuter Maximum scowler.”

“Ugh, stop it Chloe!” She grumbles and looks away.

I lean over and give her cheek a kiss which has her looking back to me. But I’m not sure what to make of her expression though.

So, I mumble embarrassed, “Sorry I didn’t think.”

“No, I’m sorry. I’m just not used to it.”

I shrug, “It’s cool, neither am I Max. I just wanted to kiss you so I did. But I’ll try and think next time.”

We fall silent after and I’m feeling stupid about what I done.

With an internal sigh I automatically reach over for my beer but realize I left it out there.

“Damn it!”

“What’s up?”

I start to move as I reply, “I left my drink out there. I’ll be—"

But Max gets up instead, “I will get you it—"

“No, it’s cool. I can do it.”

“I know you can. But if you go then you’ll be gone for ages being distracted by the other people.”

I frown, “No way, I don’t want to associate with that lot. But what about you, you’ll get distracted?”

“No one ever notices me unless there’s a motive. Trust me.”

“Hey, I notice you.” I mumble and cross my arms.

She smiles a little shyly and sounds it as she teases, “Yes and I think your motive was you wanted to kiss me,” I feel myself blush when she says that, “Yet it was also to be friends which has made me so very happy. But erm anyway, you’re here so they’ll be no distraction out there. And I may want to spend some time with you, just us. If that’s ok?”

I try to shrug with a nonchalant, “I suppose.” But my stupid smile breaks out.

She giggles as I wave her away, “Go get me my beer woman and hurry it up I’m hella thirsty.”

“Now that’s cute.” I hear her say as she goes to the door.

But before she opens it, she seems to hesitate and looks back to me. I’m going to ask if everything is ok but she quickly rushes over to me then leans down and gives me a kiss.

I’m a little stunned and just about hear, “I’m sorry for how I reacted before when you kissed me. It will just take a little getting used to. But I did very much like it Chloe.” Then she makes a hasty exit.

My smile turns into a big dopey grin as I put my hands behind my head. I settle back into the pillows feeling hella awesome right now.

As I lay here waiting for Max to come back, I think about what we should do. And of course, my mind wanders straight to making out first because it’s so incredible. But I don’t want to be pushy with her and make her think that’s all I’m going to do. So, I look around my room and that’s when I notice her journal on the bed.

I lean over to pick it up but pause and shake my head, “No, no I can’t... but it’s right there and Max knows she shouldn’t leave it around for me to read. I’ve done it enough times before. Not that I got far through it before she caught me with it... Chloe no! Ugh, look away... but... no...”

With a groan I reach over and pick it up, “Just a little peek.” I tell myself and flick through to see if she wrote anything about us today.

But before I get to any of the juicy stuff I stop on an earlier page. There is a sketch of myself like a really good one with a couple of blue hearts around it and, ‘Dreamy face *sigh*’ in one of the hearts and written below the drawing is, ‘If perfection exists then Chloe ‘Hella’ Price is the very definition’ and then, ‘To find a true friend an angel in a world full of the devils spawn is to find the real heaven on earth.’ My eyes widen and a gasp falls from my lips. I keep scanning over the page to take it all in and make sure I’m seeing it right.

I can feel my smile grow as I look it over and that Max has maybe been thinking about me in a more than friendship way for a while now.

“Oh wow! That’s so hella cool. If I could get up on two legs, I would be doing some totally lame ass dance right now. I can’t believe she thinks this about me. I need to read what she—"

I abruptly stop and chuck the book on the bed when Max comes back in and I try to act normal.

But she obviously saw me because she gives an incredulous, “Chloe!” As she quickly closes the door.

“You ass. I told you about looking in my journal.”

“I wasn’t.” I retort as she comes over and places the many beers on the bedside cabinet.

She frowns at me, “Then why did you chuck it over here and why are you blushing and acting all shifty?”

I scoff with a halfhearted retort, “It’s totally your own fault. I told you these hands are idle and I would read it if I could. Not that I did.”

She stares at me for a moment before snorting a laugh, “Yes silly me for thinking I could trust you.”

I pout at that, “Hey you can trust me.”

“Just not with my journal it seems.” She retorts in a teasing tone but she doesn’t seem angry which is a big bonus, “You know, one of these days you’re going to read something you don’t like.”

She sits down on the bed as I wave her off, “Pfft never gonna happen. I’m too hella loveable for you to write something horrible about me.”

“If you say so. And who said I’m writing stuff about you anyway?”

“Oh please, Maximus! I know you’ve wrote stuff about me—"

“How if you haven’t read it?” She very quickly shoots back with an eyebrow raised and a smirk.

I stare at her for a second not having any form of comeback and the smug little shit knows it.

So, I cross my arms and lamely scoff, “Whatever nerd. I’m too awesome for you to not write about.”

She just giggles at me and I roll my eyes trying not to show how amused I am.

I look to the side to grab a beer and count six of them.

With a smirk I take one and turn back to her, “You trying to get me wasted so I’ll be all gooey for you hippie and you can get yourself some more of these?” I pucker my lips at her.

She catches me off guard with a kiss then teases, “You’re all gooey whether you have alcohol or not Chloe. And I think you are the one who is trying to get more of mine.”

I can feel myself grinning and a blush as she looks at me with this knowing expression.

With a shrug I take the top off my beer then have a swig before I ask, “And what would you do if I was?”

“I don’t suppose there would be a lot I could do about it.”

I grin at her and she shakes her head with a chuckle.

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to dare resist my hella talented and very kissable lips... oh that reminds me, I have to cross a couple of things off our list. Here can you hold this for me?”

I hand her my beer then reach over to get said list and a pen from my draw. That’s when I notice my old phone that I dug out. I wanted to find it so I could give it to Max but I’m a little scared of how she will react to it. But I take it out with our list and pen.

“Why a couple?” Max asks as she has a sniff of my beer and wrinkles her nose up.

I hide the phone under my leg for the moment while I try to pluck up the courage to give it to her.

“If you have a beer or maybe five, I can cross three things off.”

She glances to me then back to the beer and peers inside like there is some kind of trick waiting to spring out.

“It’s not gonna come alive jump out the bottle and bite ya mini Max.” I might though I say to myself.

I snicker as she narrows her eyes at me and grumbles, “I know that you ass. And stop calling me little!”

“But you are so tiny. You’re like a hot feisty and cute little Care Bear, oh oh or a Gummi Bear.”

I grin at Max’s very unimpressed face and start to sing, “Gummi Bears bouncing here and there and everywhere— Ah! Haha...” But get poked in the side then a hand placed over my mouth.

“You can stop that singing right now and delete it from your memory Chloe or we will have a problem!” She warns me but I can see that amused glint in her eyes.

But I can’t help myself and start to hum the tune much to her incredulous eye roll and groan.

She tries to ignore me as she has a sip of my beer. I stop humming just to laugh because she grimaced and stuck her tongue out.

“Blargh... that’s so gross!” But she has another sip with a little less of a reaction.

“Just keep going ‘cos it will get so hella good after the first one and you won’t even notice the taste.”

“What, like the joint?” She questions with a tease in tone.

I smirk, “I didn’t hear any complaints from you, Maxi the make out queen! I can ease the drinking process for you, like I did with the smoking, if you want?”

She rolls her eyes, “No thanks you’re alright. And I don’t see it working out in the same way as the smoking when liquid is involved.”

“Meh suit yourself shortround... sooo do you want to share a joint instead?” I waggle my eyebrows at her with a grin

She snorts and asks, “Was this really your plan all along, to get me stoned and drunk today?”

“You were hardly stoned before hippie. Hmm so maybe I can’t cross that off our list after all. So, you’ll have to do that again. But we can cross the kissing off—actually no because that means you don’t have to do it anymore. Welp it looks like nothings coming off the list today Maximus.”

I look to her when she doesn’t say anything and she is staring at me with her eyebrow raised.

“What?” I ask confused.

“Us kissing isn’t on our list.”

“Sure it is. It’s right there.” I point to where it’s written.

She looks at it and I watch her brow start to furrow then she looks to me, “When did you put all these other ones on here?” She takes the list from me and starts to scan over the many many extra things I’ve written down.

“I may have added one or two more—"

“One or two? There’s like a hundred things on here now. And it doesn’t say us kissing, it just says make out with someone question mark. So, who did you actually want to make out with?”

Max doesn’t ask it in an angry way or anything like that. It’s more careful and almost sad. Maybe she thinks I only kissed her because she was there and she is just like a substitute. But it’s so not like that.

“Ok so, that one was more for you."

“For me, how so?”

“Well it was kind of a test to see who you would kiss if you were gonna do it. I may have wanted to know if you would choose me. I also had it for a dare too. Ya know dare you to kiss me. But that was like a last resort because it’s so hella lame.”

God, I sound so sappy and like a complete dork right now. And I think my face might melt off from embarrassment.

We sit here in silence after, well apart from the music blaring and the rowdy dicks on the other side of the door.

I take a hesitant glance at Max and see her brow furrowed in what I think is thought.

I’m getting more and more anxious the longer we stay like this so I ask, “Are you going to say anything?”

It takes her what seems an age to reply, “Do you actually like me though?” And it’s so quiet I could barely hear it and she also sounded scared.

I take a deep breath before I answer, “Would it be a problem if I did?”

“No but—"

“But you’re scared of what those bitches at school will do right?” I state but with a carefulness.

“Yes... and others.”

“Others?”

She looks to me, “More one person in particular who has an extremely narrow-minded view on how woman should be and what they are for.” She then sighs and looks away, “It doesn’t matter.”

I so want to push it and ask more but I know it won’t get me anywhere good. So, I decide on a different track.

“Well how about this. In public we just carry on as normal, you know two best friends who hangout all the time and have a laugh together. Mmm but who also sneak off to make out and shit when no one else is around? I’ll be like your dirty little secret.”

She looks to me and sounds surprised, “Best friends, really? But don’t call yourself a dirty secret Chloe because you’re so much more than that.”

“Totally Max, just as you are to me. Although I kinda like the idea of being your dirty secret. It sounds naughty and hella sexy.”

She rolls her eyes, “You would think that.”

I nod with a grin which gets a small laugh out of her.

“But anyway. Even though we haven’t known each other for years, more a number of months, I feel as if we just go together and fit, ya know? And we’re close, ha very close now more so than I have been with anybody before. So we are best friends, like hella best friends forever… mmm and now with awesome new benefits.” I muse at the end.

She smiles and gets all shy which is so cute and makes me want to kiss her.

“I really like the sound of that. Thank you Chloe.”

I put my arm around her and pull her into me more, “Seriously dude you don’t need to thank me for being friends with you. You make it sound like an obligation or something I don’t want to do.”

I feel her snuggle into me a little which feels hella nice as she says, “Well I’m not exactly the easiest of people to be friends with—"

“Bull I think you’re awesome! Like you’re funny smart and hella talented. You don’t take none of my shit and you tell me how it is. Mmm not to mention you’re cutely gorgeous—"

Max groans, “Ugh, don’t be stupid!” And tries to pull away.

Which makes me snicker as I hold on to her tighter, “Nah I’m hella smart hippie. I’m like the most intelligent person you will ever meet so I can’t be wrong.”

“If you say so Chloe.” She teases and lays her head on my shoulder.

“I do say so hippie. But do you know what the best thing about you is?”

I look down at her and she shifts her eyes up to me, “No, what?”

“The fact you treat me like an equal and not a freak. Right from the start you did which made me feel so good. And you just accept me all of me, even with the lack of some working parts—"

“Hey, don’t do that!” She cuts in with a light slap on my stomach.

“Haha... sorry. It’s just you don’t know how awesome it is to have that. Justin and Trevor are really cool don’t get me wrong. But there is always this little hesitancy with them like they want to protect me and I know they mean well and I’m hella grateful for them. But you though, you see past everything, including all my flaws. I’ve never had that. You make me feel like a whole person again and not just someone in a wheelchair.”

“It doesn’t matter to me if you’re in a wheelchair or not, that doesn’t make you any less of a person because of it. What I care about is who you are and that’s an incredibly beautiful woman inside and out. Tenaciously stubborn yes, who doesn’t take no as an answer. But still very special.”

I feel so awesomely happy right now very sappy and embarrassed sure, but the happiest I’ve felt in so long.

With a shy chuckle I lean down and give her cheek a kiss then whisper into her ear, “Ooohh Max, are you trying to woo me with your hella sexy talk?” And I nuzzle her head.

She snorts and starts to try and squirm away from me but I don’t let her.

“Chloe stop that...” She shrieks but then dissolves into giggles.

I pull my head up and look around then to her bright red face, “But there’s no one else here and we agreed what we would do when we’re alone. Sooo it’s make out time hippie!”

“Oh wowser! I never agreed to that.”

“Sure you did. Don’t forget I’m the sexy brains of this partnership—"

“And that makes me what?” She questions with a challenging tone and eyebrow raised.

I smirk, “It makes you the cutest Gummi Bear ever!” And I start to hum the theme tune.

“Oh my god!” She groans but starts to giggle when I nuzzle and tickle her and I snicker happily…

Once we calm down from our laughter we go into a comfortable silence. Max has her head settled softly on my chest and shoulder and a hand on my stomach. I have my arm wrapped around her, fingers lightly gliding up and down and my cheek resting on her head. I am feeling so good, like I’ve never felt before. I’m also clutching the cellphone tight in my fist as I continue to debate whether or not to give it to her.

“Are you ok Chlo, am I hurting you? Your heart is racing really fast and you’re shifting.” Max’s quiet softly spoken voice flutters into the room.

I don’t answer and nibble my lip as I kind of awkwardly hold the phone to her. I feel Max move off me but I’m not sure what her face is doing because I can’t look at her.

“What’s this?” I hear her ask hesitantly.

“It’s a cellphone Max.” I reply with a little sarcasm.

I can imagine the slight scowl I just got as she says, “I know that you ass. Why are you holding it out to me?”

“It’s for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I want you to have it. So take it hippie.” 

She doesn’t so I sigh and finally look to her. Max is sitting on her haunches as she stares at the phone like it’s a bomb or something.

“Max, please will you just take it?” I ask with a small huff and kind of shove it in her hand.

“But—"

“But nothing dude! It’s an old phone that is just lying around. And don’t think it’s charity because it isn’t. It’s totally for my own selfish reasons.”

“What?”

“Because this means I get to talk to you all the time now. I can just bombard you with crap, send you stuff and not have to wait until I see you to know if we can meet up and shit. I like you Max and I hella like being able to see and talk to you... and obviously this is so I can send you pics of my hella hot face so you don’t go through the withdrawal you usually do.”

There is silence after I say all of that and Max is just staring at me with wide eyes and a blush.

I sigh and go to tell to not worry and forget about it but she suddenly launches herself at me. 

I let out a grunt and try to catch my breath but I can’t as Max starts to kiss my face, “Thank you Chloe... thank you so much for this... I, you are just... thank you...”

But before I get to say anything in reply, she’s attacking my lips.

“Jesus Max!” Is all I’m able to gasp before she captures me again yet I’m totally cool with it, more than cool in fact...

“Jesus hippie!” I pant once we finally stop kissing which was only because we needed to breathe, “Wow that was, was just... I don’t even have the words... just fuck!”

I’m a sweaty mess my heart is racing and I’m all tingly.

I look to the side hearing Max giggle and see her flushed cheeks a huge smile and her sparkling bright eyes.

My smile turns into a very proud grin as I say, “Damn, I’m gonna give you stuff all the time now if that’s the kind of hella sexy reaction I get.”

She continues to giggle as she shakes her head, “No, this is too much anyway,” she holds the phone up which she hasn’t let go of even during our epic make out, “but we are sooo going to keep doing what we done. It was awesome!”

I roll onto my side and look down at her with a smirk, “Mmm are we now?” She nods and bites her lip as I trail my fingers over the exposed skin of her stomach, “You liked that did you? Did I get you all hot and tingling in just the right place?”

“Oh wowser!” Max squeaks and starts to squirm when I poke her side playfully.

“Oh wowser indeed.” I tease as I start to tickle her.

She tries in vain to stop me but can’t as I hold one of her hands down with mine and she still won’t let go of the cellphone.

“Yeah you can’t get enough of the hella sexy make out prowess of Chloe the smoochernator Price!”

I quickly dive to her neck and nibble on her skin which makes her shriek and squirm uncontrollably. But I’m inevitably joining in when she frees her hand and starts to tickle me.

As we both giggle and mess around I hear a few knocks on my door. We pause what we’re doing and I listen for a moment hearing no music or rowdy assholes. Hmm that’s weird I think to myself.

Then I hear, “Chlo, can we come in?” From Rachel.

“No, go away!”

“Chloooee please? I told all the others to go. I’m sorry ok? I only invited a couple over but they must have told more people about it.”

“Don’t care go—" I start but look to Max when she chuckles so I ask, “What?”

“Are you really not going to let them in?”

“Why should I?”

“Because they’re your friends.”

“No, we’ve been over this. Two are my friends the other, meh not so much.” I shrug and cross my arms.

“I can hear you Chloe.” From Rachel which makes me snicker.

“Good you were meant too.”

“Please I said I was sorry. We’re bored and miss you.”

I go to retort but Max says, “Chloe.” And gives me a look.

I roll my eyes and mumble, “Ugh, fine! But don’t blame me because your lips are cold and lonely and we can’t make out anymore.”

She smirks and teases, “After surviving 18 years without them, I’m sure I can manage the next few hours.”

I narrow my eyes, “That’s just hella cruel dude! I know you love my lips and you’ll be going through withdrawal within the hour.”

Max just giggles so I roll my eyes and look to the door, “Are Justin and Trevor out there with you?”

“Yeah we’re here Price.” Trev shouts.

“Ok cool you can come in.” I tell them as Max gets up and sits on the chair next to my bed.

I’m really disappointed and sad when she does that. I guess it’s just something I’m gonna have to get used to.

I try to shake it off as the door opens and the boys come in first with a, “Cheers Price.”

“Thanks dude.”

But as Rachel comes in, I shake my finger at her, “Uh ah not you.”

She stops and looks at me with wide eyes, “What?”

“I said Trevor and Justin could come in. You know my friends. Everyone else has to stay outside.”

“But it’s just me and I’m your friend.”

I tap my finger to my chin in mock thought for a moment then look to her, “I don’t know. I might need to think on this some more first and you definitely need to think about what you done.”

She frowns at me, “You can’t be serious?”

“Can’t I?”

She huffs but then digs through her jacket pocket and produces a baggy of green.

With her so called apologetic face she comes over and holds it out to me, “I got you some of that bud you really liked off Frank. And of course, it’s on me.”

I screw my lips to the side knowing full well she is trying to bribe me. But that is some hella good shit and expensive too.

So, I snag the bag and tell her, “Fine you can stay for now—"

“Yes! I can stay.” She cuts in with a fist pump.

“But Rachel Amber.” I start in a stern tone which gets her triumph to falter, “You are cleaning up all the crap out there those dicks made!”

“Of course, consider it done.”

“And you’re on your last chance. I mean it no joke. You screw up we’re done, ok?”

She almost looks like she’s not sure if I’m serious or not. But I’m very serious and keep my face completely neutral and cross my arms.

She eventually nods in a kind of dejected submissive way and says quietly, “Ok Chlo I understand... I promise I’ll do better.”

I don’t reply because I’m bored of hearing it, even though she does sound more genuine than any other time.

With a shake of my head I look around to see the others trying to seem inconspicuous.

So, I ask, “What should we do then?” To break the silence.

I don’t think I’m going to get a reply at first, but then Max of all people speaks first.

“We could maybe play on the computer. That’s if you don’t mind getting you butt kicked again?” And looks to me with a smirk.

“Seriously you beat Price? What at?” Trevor asks in disbelief.

“Only everything!” She answers very happily, “She’s not that good really. I thought she would be a lot better, especially after all her boasting.”

I gasp, “Maxine!” And she tries to scowl, no doubt for the name but ends up chuckling.

“Nice Maximum Overdrive! You really do have a handle on the hot rod blazer.” Justin says with a high five to her.

“Whatever! Come on we’ll do teams and—"

“I call dibs on Max!” Rachel shouts before I can finish and gives me a smug grin.

I narrow my eyes at her, “Hey no way. You can’t have Max. I get Max.”

“Why? I called first dibs. You can’t just change our rules for your own benefit.”

“Shouldn’t you be out there cleaning!”

She frowns but then Trevor suggests, “How about Justin and myself get Max and take it in turns and you can have Rachel?”

“Hell no! Rachel hella sucks.”

“Hey! I don’t suck.” She grumbles.

I snicker and tease, “Oh but you do Rach. The only game you have the slightest skill at is that shitty candy game on your phone.”

“Yeah I am wicked good at that game.” She muses with a smile but then smirks at me, “Maybe Max should decide who she wants to be with?”

“Fine. Come on then hippiehipperson. Who’s it gonna be... ahem-ME!” I cough the last bit.

Everyone looks to Max who shifts very uncomfortably in her seat as her eyes shift between each of us.

“I erm I think... I think I’m going to choose Chloe—"

“Ha yes! In your face Rachel Amber.” I shout triumphantly.

She rolls her eyes, “Oh please Price. As if Max would have chosen anyone else.”

“Hey don’t sulk just because Maximus-the-Awesome knows greatness when she sees it.” 

Rachel moves over to the boys and Justin sorts the game and controllers out.

I look to Max and pat the spot next to me, “Come feel what it’s like to sit next to a winner hippie.”

She rolls her eyes but does chuckle as she gets up and teases, “Winning dork more like.” And sits down next to me.

I give her a playful pout, “You don’t mean that, do you?”

Max stares back at me for a moment before she cracks a smile, “Fine you’re just a winner.”

I grin, “Yeah I am.” And happily settle back to play the game.

This day started off really good and turned into something out of this world. Ugh but then dipped with the uninvited people turning up. But then it climbed back up to hella awesome... Yeah this is definitely one of if not the best days ever!


	8. Running into Trouble

“Ok Max, just go in there and hella blow their minds. You remember the words, right?”

She groans with her arms crossed and looks so awkward, “Chloe this is stupid! Why don’t you go in there and do it?”

“Because shortround, we rolled and I won.”

“You always seem to win when it’s something really embarrassing to do.” She mutters.

“I can’t help it if the dice hella love me.”

“Strange how you always win the fun stuff to do and I have to do the things like this.”

I snicker, “That’s ‘cos I’m the list holder—"

“List asshole more like. It’s a stupid list.”

“Don’t speak ill of the list dude! It’s an awesome list. If you rock this one you can get yourself some more of these as a reward.” I pucker my lips at her.

She rolls her eyes and looks away for a moment in thought it seems. When she looks back to me, she eyes me with this expression I can’t gauge.

I raise my eyebrow, “What—"

“You’re chicken.” She states with a smirk.

Both my brows raise as does my pitch, “I’m not chicken!”

She gets this big smug grin, “Wowser Chloe Price is chicken! That’s why you make me do the embarrassing stuff because you’re scared to do them.” Then she starts to laugh.

I narrow my eyes at her, “I’m so not.” She continues her teasing laugh so I growl, “Oh I’ll show you Maxine! Chloe Price fears nothing.”

I then quickly wheel myself into the store as I mutter, “I’ll hella show her. Chloe Price chicken? Pfft never!”

I stop in the middle of the isle then clear my throat before I start, “I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts, didily dee. There they are all standing in a row. Big ones, small ones some as big as your head. Give ‘em a twist a flick of the wrist. That’s what the showman said... And I thank you.” I end with a sort of bow, more bent over with my arms out.

The few customers just stare at me bemused and it’s deathly silent. Well until I hear this giggling from behind me.

I spin around to see Max wetting herself, “Oh wowser, that was so funny. This is my new favorite thing ever!” As she holds her camera up, poised at me.

With narrowed eyes I growl, “You little shit! I’m gonna hella kick that butt now.”

“You’ve got to catch me first Price!” She retorts then takes off running.

It makes me grin as I chase after her.

I can see Max down the sidewalk in front of me and even from here I can hear her laughing as I shout, “You can’t get away from me Caulfield. There’s nowhere you can run that I won’t find... you. Shit!”

I stop in my tracks when Max barrels into Bitchtoria and her posse of skanks and Max falls back onto her butt. They look to Chase as she shrieks after what looks like coffee got spilt all down her top.

Max scrambles to her feet as Victoria hisses, “You dumb fucking bitch! Look what you’ve done to my top!?!”

“I I’m s-sorry Victo—"

I finally come back to my senses and manage to get my brain to function before I wheel over there as fast as I can.

“Oh, you’re going to be. You stuttering inbred trailer trash slut! Do you know what this is?” She gestures to what was her white shirt that is now brown as she jabs Max in the chest.

Then Taylor joins in, “Of course she doesn’t V’. As if something as cheap shit like her—"

“Leave her the fuck alone Chase!!” I growl when I get to them.

“Oh look, it’s the punk girlfriend bodyguard come to save the day—"

“Chloe’s not my girlfriend Victoria!” Max cuts in which hurts hearing that. But I squash it down because it’s true and now is not the time to feel sorry for myself.

“Ha! Girlfriend number two actually speaks.” Courtney now joins in.

And Chase steps up to me to continue her jibes, “I knew you were one desperate dyke Price because come on, who the hell would go with someone like you?” She gestures to me as a whole and the other two snigger, “But to try and jump the ladyboy corner whore, that’s some low-grade shit even for a wheel-bound freak like you!”

I open my mouth to growl at her but Max steps in front of me and actually pushes her back, “Don’t you ever talk about Chloe like that again Victoria!!! You nasty spoiled insecure bitch!”

Woah! I think to myself feeling flattered and really good at her standing up for me like that. Even the other three seem totally shocked about it for a moment.

But then Chase snaps out of it and zones in on Max, “I warned you last time you’d regret what you done. And now you’ve ruined my Vuitton and actually use your balls to mouth off!” She then grabs Max’s camera and yanks it away from her.

“Give it back now you bitch!” I snarl.

She laughs, “Or what?”

“Or I’ll smash your fucking face in!”

“Maybe you should give it back Vic. It’s her camera.” Courtney suggests which receives a glare from Chase.

“Maybe you want to join up with them and their freaky dyke club Wagner?!”

Courtney backs down as Chase looks to us with this snarled smirk, “This piece of trash won’t even cover my dry-cleaning bill anyway.” Then she raises her arm and just drops the camera to the pavement.

I watch it bounce and clatter along the hard-concrete ground and see pieces break off of it in the process.

Max drops to her knees with a gasped sob sound and chokes, “Why?... why would you do that? What have I ever done to you?”

With anger I’ve never felt before, I narrow my eyes at Chase and with a quick push forward in my chair I then throw myself at her.

I actually managed to tackle her to the ground and get a couple of hella sweet satisfying punches to her face as I growl so enraged, “What the fuck is the matter with you? You piece shit!!! Why the hell would you do something like that!?!”

She doesn’t say anything just stares back and struggles against me but manages to push me off.

Then her two minions help her up as Taylor says, “We need to go Victoria.” And they start to hurry away.

“Yeah you better fucking run bitches! I’m gonna hella kill you next time!”

I slump my forehead to the cool concrete feeling a pain in my hand. My breathing is ragged my heart is pounding so hard and I’m all shaky as I lay on the pavement like a limp fish.

But then my attention is drawn to the quiet raspy tone of Max, “Oh Chloe... I’m so so sorry.” Then I feel her arms slip under my stomach and move me into a seated position.

She wraps her arms around me from behind and kind of holds me as I tell her, “Please don’t apologize for what other people do. It’s not your fault Max.”

I hear a sniffle as she shakes her head against me, “But it is. This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t know me and we weren’t friends. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

“Yeah, friends.” I mutter a little bitterly under my breath.

“What?” Max questions and lifts her head up from my neck.

I squeeze her hands, “It’s nothing. But you need to realize and understand that I want to be with you. It’s not charity or because I have to. I’m here to stay because you’re awesome Max. I haven’t had so much fun or been happier since you came into my life. So, it’s tough shit hippie I’m here for good. Deal with it!”

She nods against me, “Ok I’m—"

“Seriously dude, don’t say you’re sorry!” I cut her off knowing full well what she was going to say.

She mumbles something that sounds very much like another sorry which makes me chuckle, “Jeez you’re hard work Maxi.”

“Apparently you don’t care and this is what you signed up for.”

I sigh playfully, “I guess I did and I do hella love a challenge.”

Max chuckles and I smile hearing it as she continues to hold me. We stay like this for a little while and it’s really nice being held by her. Sure, we’re getting some weird looks from people as they go about their day, luckily not too many around. Nobody actually stopped to ask if we were ok. I’m glad they didn’t though because I get to be like this with Max...

I hear her do this heavy sigh before she says, “We should get you up and make a move.”

“No!”

“Yes.”

“But I don’t wanna!” I retort with a playful huff and slump back against her.

She chuckles and squeezes me, “Well you gotta.”

“Fiiine, Maximus the responsible.”

“Ha, you’re cute when you pout.”

“Yeah yeah. Enough of the sweet talk woman and help a girl out.”

She chuckles as she gets up and goes to my chair wheels it over to me then puts the breaks on.

I try to pull myself up which is quite difficult and my hand hurts a little.

Max obviously sees this so asks carefully, “Will you let me help you, please?”

She has a smile but it’s hesitant and nervous, probably because she knows how I feel about help, even when I do need it.

But I don’t mind when Max asks. Maybe because she only does it when I really need it and she’s not belittling with it.

“Yeah, sure Max. Thank you.”

She lets out a breath like relief maybe and smiles a lot brighter. She crouches down in front of me and slips her arms under mine in a kind of hug and I put mine around her neck.

“Ok you ready?” She asks as she looks into my eyes, so close I could kiss her.

But I hold back because ‘public places’ and all and just nod with a quiet, “Yeah.”

She takes a breath then with a big heave and a strained noise, ha! And a little grunt which is hella cute. Max manages to lift me up and kind of shuffle drag me to my seat.

“Wowser! You’re heavier than you look.”

I snort a laugh, “Ooohh Maximum harsh compliment. Should I be hella worried you say such sexy talk to all the girls?”

Her eyes widen and she’s quick to reply, “What, no! I didn’t mean it like that. You’re perfect. You look so slim and lean that I thought you’d be—"

“Hahaha you’re so beautiful. Now I’m definitely worried! That’s some hella awesome backtrack wooing there Max-factor.”

She rolls her eyes and begins to collect the pieces of her camera up and put them in her bag.

My laughter kind of dies off watching her do this. It’s not just the fact that bitch Chase done something to Max but the fact she done it to Max’s camera as well. She loves that thing like it’s an actual living being.

I roll up next to her and place my hand on her shoulder, “I’m really sorry Max.”

She shrugs and tries to act as if it’s nothing but I can hear the sadness in her tone, “It’s just a camera... and like you said to me it’s not your fault what other people do.”

“I’m not apologizing for them. I’m saying sorry about your camera. I know what it means to you... Do you think it will still work?”

I can see her try it a couple of times but nothing happens.

So, she stands up and sighs, “I don’t know. I’ll have to try and fix it, but later... Could we get out of here and go someplace else... I mean if you still want to hangout with me?”

I look around to see if there is anybody about before I take her hand, “Of course I want to still hangout with you. There is nowhere else I’d rather be.”

She looks to me with this little shy smile which gives me that fluttering inside it always does.

“Neither would I.” She says quietly with a squeeze of my hand.

My smile grows and my stomach drops as I squeeze back before I let her hand go.

“Where we off to then?”

“Just this place I like to go.”

“Ooohh Max’s secret hideout. I must be hella special to get invited into your inner sanctum.”

She chuckles, “It’s not really secret. Just somewhere I like to go when things are shit and I know I can be alone.”

“Oh... well are you sure you don’t mind me coming? If you want to be alone I—"

She quickly leans down and gives me a kiss on my cheek then says, “Things are never shit with you. And there is no one else I would rather be with than you Chloe.”

I can feel myself blushing and my smile has definitely turned into the goofiest grin ever.

I clear my throat and try to sound unfazed and completely cool about how she makes me feel.

“Well then my little hippie of hotness, what are we waiting for, lead the way.”

She smiles and then giggles in that cute way of hers when she’s embarrassed.

As we are about to leave, I remember what I brought along so quickly say, “Oh Max I’ve got something you might like,” She turns back to me with a curious look and I beckon her to me, “Come closer.”

She raises her eyebrow and crosses her arms with an amused smirk, “If it’s your lips and tongue I’ve already experienced them, a number of times now.”

“Don’t pretend to be meh about my hella kissable lips and talented tongue. I know what they do to you hippie.” She rolls her eyes and I chuckle, “But no it’s not my awesome make Maxi moan babies, you’ll have to wait for them. It’s this...” And I open the satchel on the side of my chair to show her the bottle of whiskey I swiped from mom and dad’s booze stash.

Max comes closer and peers inside then shifts her eyes to me, “You really are determined to get me drunk, aren’t you?”

I grin, “Damn straight I am!”

“Fine but if I start puking, I’m not going to be happy and you’ll be in trouble.” She tries to say it as a threat but I can see that glint in those eyes.

“It’s all good shortround. I will look after you, well until I start puking too. But I also got us some munch to line our stomachs.”

“Wow you always say just the right thing to set me at ease Chlo.”

“Yeah I treat you hella good.”

She snorts a laugh as she turns around and I hear a quiet, “Yes you do.”

Which has me grinning like a dork and feeling hella awesome, as we start to make our way to wherever she is taking us...


	9. Revealing more than the mystery

We finally arrive at the place Max wanted to go, after traveling through the forest for god knows how long.

“Welcome to Max’s hideaway from hell.” She says and kind of gestures around.

“Wow it’s beautiful here Max!”

There is this huge lake surrounded by loads of trees flowers and bushes. It almost looks like a different world and untouched by humans. It’s so serene and tranquil with the quiet rustling of the leaves in the gentle breeze and the birds chirping happily.

We go over to a little fire pit that looks recently used as I ask, “How did you find this place?” And then get the bottle of whiskey out.

“I was taking pictures and wandering through the forest one day and that’s when I found it. No one else seems to know about it well I’ve never seen anyone else here.”

She starts to collect some wood as I take a swig of the whiskey. I swallow with a harsh intake of air and a little cough at the burn.

“Here hippie, to get you in the mood.” I nudge her with the bottle.

She looks to me then the bottle before she takes it and asks amused, “In the mood for what exactly?”

I shrug innocently, “Ooohh nothing in particular.” Maybe a little more make-out time and hella awesome groping I muse to myself.

“You’re so transparent Price. I know your game.” She then sniffs the liquor only to pull away with a wrinkled nose, “Jesus that’s potent!”

“Ha yeah it is! But anyway, there is certainly no game here Maxspiscious Caulfield. I’m completely innocent. But now I’m intrigued what you thought I meant. You got some dirty things going on in that hella cute head of yours?”

I watch her roll her eyes then take a swig of the drink only to grimace and choke a little, “Ugh wowser that’s so nasty!” But goes in for another swig a lot bigger than last time.

“Haha ok girl. You need to pace yourself.”

Max frowns at me, “Whatever mooom! I thought you wanted me ‘in the mood’ and wasted?” And leans back from me when I try to grab the bottle.

It makes me chuckle, “Oh believe me I do. But I want you coherent and very much complicit when we do stuff.”

“You dork. I don’t need alcohol for us to do stuff together Chloe. I haven’t any other time.” She tells me with a smirk before having another swig then passing me the bottle.

I take it and shrug a little awkwardly, “I know. I’m just covering all my bases in case you get bored with me.” Then look away and have a big swig myself.

Max doesn’t reply right away but I suddenly feel her hand placed on mine, “Hey look at me?” I do albeit hesitantly and see her smiling softly, “You know I’m with you because you’re incredible and there is nowhere else, I would rather be, right?”

I shrug, “I do believe that yeah... it’s just, people leave Max. They say they won’t but inevitably they do and I’m left behind.”

“But I’m not them and I swear to you I will never and I repeat NEVER leave you. I can’t get enough of Chloe Price.” She reaches for her bag and rummages through it before she pulls something out.

When I see what it is it makes me smile, especially when she says, “And since I have myself a phone now, that an incredibly special and thoughtful someone gave me. You can always contact me anytime you want if you’re getting that worry and nagging doubt... oh and it has a certain thing on here to know where I am, so you’ll be able to find me.” She gives me a knowing look and an amused smile.

I can feel myself blush that she found out I’ve been looking up where she is. It sounds creepy and stalkerish but it wasn’t for that. It was more because I couldn’t wait to see her when we were meeting up. So I would check to know how long it was going to be.

I still try to deny it though, “I don’t know what you’re on about. I know nothing.”

She obviously doesn’t believe me and laughs, “Oh I’m sure you don’t.” And gives me a kiss before she continues, “But if it puts your mind at ease and gets you to believe that not everyone is the same or whatever it is you are doing with it. Then do anything you need Chloe.”

I feel completely flustered and even teary with everything Max said. She really is so incredibly different than anyone else I’ve ever met. And she goes beyond trying to prove she’s in for the long haul. Also, everything she does to make me feel normal but special too and so good about myself. I’m so hella privileged to have her in my life.

“Thank you, Max... and I do believe you and trust you.”

She smiles, “I know you do Chlo.”

“And I’ll never leave you either.”

Max chuckles shyly, “I hope not because this tracker thing works both ways.” Then gives me a kiss before going back to her pile of wood.

I sigh happily feeling really good as we settle back and share our bottle of whiskey together...

*******

As we drink, both getting quite merry and very relaxed from the alcohol, I wonder something so ask, “Do you come here a lot?”

“Like I said it’s where I come to get away from things. So yeah, I do. Maybe a little less now I have somewhere, well someone I want to be with and they want to be with me.”

She glances at me with this soft smile and really grateful eyes. It sends an immensely pleasurable shot of proud happiness through my whole body. And I know I’m smiling or rather grinning back.

Max starts to build a kind of teepee with the wood she collected and then gets a book from her bag and tears some paper from it.

I look around as she does this and that’s when I notice nestled in some bushes what looks like part of a tent.

“Are you sure no one else comes here? ‘Cos it seems someone might be camping out here.” And I point over to the bushes where the tent is.

She looks over to where I’m pointing then turns back and starts to get the fire going and sighs heavily.

I wasn’t sure she was going to answer me but she eventually says quietly, “It’s mine.”

I furrow my brow, “Yours?”

“Yeah. I stay here sometimes.”

“What, by yourself?” I ask surprised and confused.

But what she answers has me feeling so sorry for her and I want to just hug her tight.

“It’s not like I had anyone else to stay here with but it’s a lot better than home. Not that I get a choice in the matter most times.”

Max didn’t get defensive or angry when she said any of that, she actually got really sad, teary almost. It’s unusual because she doesn’t really like talking about anything to do with herself and her home. So, I think maybe this is my chance like an invitation as such to ask her some things. It’s the only way I’ve been able to ask her about anything previously and I know she won’t just clam up on me.

“Why do you not want to be at home?” I ask carefully.

“Because it isn’t really a home, it’s not actually a house... I don’t even have a bed.” She answers quietly with this almost pain in her tone.

“You don’t have a bed?”

She shakes her head embarrassed, “No. I get to sleep on a shitty lumpy gross couch sometimes. If he hasn’t passed out on it.”

“Wow that sucks, well more than sucks.” I mumble, unsure what to say to that.

“Yeah, I guess it does.” She whispers as she burns a twig in the fire.

We go silent for a moment as I think over some of the things, she has told me. Max really does have such a shit life it seems and I only know a little of it. Then what she said about it not even being a house and a guy passing out pops in my head.

So, I clear my throat and then ask, “You said it’s not a house and about a guy. Where do live and who with? You never told me before and if you don’t want to tell me now then it’s cool Max.”

She looks to me for a moment almost like she is gauging whether to tell me more and that I can be trusted or not.

But she must decide that I can be trusted because she asks, “You remember when you found me at that sketchy part of the beach and after kept asking why I spend so much time down there?”

“Yeah I remember Max.” Of course, I remember because I ask her nearly every day.

She slumps back onto her butt knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them.

“It’s where I live. Not the beach obviously but the shitty trailer dump...” She wipes a tear away that falls down her cheek and takes a breath before she continues, “That’s how Frank knows me and I lied to you that he didn’t. I’m sorry that I did lie to you Chloe and kept lying. I just didn’t want you to think any less of me than you already did—"

“Hey I would never think less of you because of where you live Max.” I cut in with a little offence being taken but I try to hide it.

“I know that now but not at the beginning. You looked at me and said things like everyone else always did. Then every time you mentioned that place or Frank you would make jokes and comments about how gross and disgusting it was and the people there... So, I was distrustful of you at first.”

That makes me feel like such an asshole and also stir that guilt and hate at myself for how I was to her.

“If I knew you lived there, I would have never said any of that. Not that it makes it better, but still… and I’m hella sorry for how I treated you Max. That was so shitty of me to do that.”

She shakes her head and gives me a small smile which I don’t deserve as she says, “No I get it. I understand how school politics works… and nobody wants to get put in the same group as the ultimate outcast.”

I frown, “I’m so not interested in the social clicks at school.”

“Maybe not outwardly. But everyone wants to get through school unnoticed by the people who can make your life hell. Whether you join the bullies or do what you can to avoid them or make them avoid you. It’s human nature to do it.”

I know what she’s saying is true but it still sucks that she knows what I was doing.

“I don’t hold it against you, I never have. I’ve also never had someone like you in my life before. You haven’t tried to hurt me in anyway and you only encourage and help me... you’re the only person I’ve ever trusted Chloe.”

And now I feel that proud giddy sensation that I was able to break through her walls and be this to her.

I’m about to tell her that I’m so incredibly thankful she’s part of my life and that she let me in.

But she asks, “Anyway, you wanted to know who I live with and who the guy is?”

“Yeah.”

“Well I live with my mom. Although she’s more like a ghost a husk of a being now, lost in a different world… I miss her.” She says it with this deep sadness especially the last part.

“I’m really sorry Max.” I tell her and she gives me a teary-eyed smile.

I want to ask more about that because I don’t really understand what she means by it. But I don’t want to push my luck by asking the wrong thing and she’s already telling me stuff I wanted to know. And I can tell it’s obviously upsetting for her.

As we sit, I can’t help asking about the other stuff though, “Where’s your dad? Is that the guy?”

“No. My dad went off with his ‘yoga teacher’ a few years ago and has a whole new family. I barely see him anymore.” She says it with a buttload of bitter sarcasm but shakes it off to continue, “And the guy, it’s my stepdad. You know him actually.”

“Really, who is it?”

“Ugh, Damon Merrick.”

“No fucking way?!” I blurt out in disbelief.

“Yep.”

“Jesus! He’s such a fucked up headcase.”

“You can say that again.” Max mutters.

“Now I get why you were so cagey about it. Not that I would have judged you, I’ll never judge you ever again. But shit Max I’m so sorry.”

She shrugs, “It is what it is and it’s not your fault... I should actually thank you.”

“Thank me, for what? Being a bitch to you.” I grumble with guilt at myself.

“No. For making my life so much better, fulfilled and giving it meaning. I look forward to each day now because I know there is something good, something special full of this light waiting for me... you mean a great deal to me Chloe.”

“Max I... I don’t know what to say.” Is all I can get out unable to find the words to convey what I want and I sound a little choked up too.

It’s simple in my head, Max you mean so much to me too more than you will ever know. But no, I’m shit scared to admit how I really feel about her. And I don’t want to push her into something she isn’t ready for or even want. I’m still on the downlow hidden from sight with our secret relationship not relationship. Which I’m definitely totally cool with still. Just like I knew I would be because it’s hella sexy right Chloe, being a dirty secret? Yeah, I can’t fool myself anymore with that and probably anyone else either.

Max smiles though, unaware of my internal struggle, “You don’t need to say anything Chlo. I’m just immensely grateful you’re here. So, thank you for that, for today especially today. No one has ever stood up for me before... and just thank you for all the other incredible things you have done for me.”

I’m completely overwhelmed with emotions right now blushing and teary eyed. But feeling absolutely awesome that Max told me all of this.

As I sit here smiling like a dork and thinking over everything I suddenly jump when something hits me on the chest. I look down and see a huge bag of weed.

“What the fuck!” I mutter in awe at the sight then shift my eyes to Max, “Shit hippie! You dealing or something? What is this?”

She smirks, “That Chloe Price is a lot of make out time in a bag.”

“A lot of... what?” I ask completely lost.

“Hahaha you’re so cute when you pull that face. I know how you always try to get me to smoke because you think that maybe I won’t make out with you; which is stupid because I always will. So now you can have your fill and not have to waste your weed.”

I start grinning and muse, “Ha yeah I do love to try and get your smooches...” but then I remember the bud and have to know, “Max, seriously dude! Where’d you get this? There must be like a couple hundred bucks worth here.”

“300 to be precise. I swiped it off the step-ass.”

“Shit Max! He will kill you when he finds out.”

She waves me off, “Please he won’t find out. He’ll think he smoked it or forgot where he stashed it if he even noticed. And he’s got suitcases of the stuff and I’m usually made to weigh it bag it all up and keep an account. And I didn’t just take a great big bag in one go. I done it a little at a time. I’ve been saving it up.”

All I can do is sit here staring at her in utter disbelief. I mean shit this is crazy! Ugh but if I’m honest so hella hot too that she done this.

As I sit here thinking how crazy and hot Max is that she swiped some of the scariest fuckers bud she starts to say, “I got it for you because I wanted—"

“For me?”

“Well yeah. I know how much you love to get your ‘buzz on’ but you can’t always afford to do it. So now you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Max this, this is—"

“Just a little something I can give you for everything you give me. It still doesn’t compare to all you do but it’s all I have...”

I’m completely dumbstruck debating to make her take it back, but then she says quietly, “Please just take it Chloe. It will make me feel like I have contributed at least something to our relationship.”

I watch her for a moment as she shifts awkwardly on the ground and looks at anything that isn’t me.

So I sigh, “Ok Max I’ll take it. Not because you need to ‘contribute’ or whatever but because you done something nice for me. Hella crazy hot yet still very sweet. Thank you.”

“You are more than welcome. Oh, and that’s the really good stuff too. Not the cut crap Frank sells to people. He keeps most of the uncut for himself and loads the rest with god knows what.”

I just nod still in shock and awe as I open the bag and immediately get hit by the hella strong pungent smell. It was hella strong before I opened it. And fuck she isn’t wrong that is some awesome stuff and really sticky with no thick twig bits either.

As I drool over the biggest bag of weed, I’ve ever seen let alone had, I hear Max clear her throat before she asks, “So erm, do you fancy going for a swim?” Then she stands up.

I furrow my brow confused at the sudden change, “Huh, a swim?”

She shrugs a little embarrassed, “Yeah. You don’t have to.”

“But I don’t have anything to swim in.” I tell her even more confused.

And now she’s blushing still with that same awkward embarrassment as she says, “Well I was thinking we could maybe cross something else off the list today, if you want?”

“Going swimming isn’t on our... list... OH!”

My eyes grow wide when I realize what I think she is saying. And now I’m blushing, more than likely brighter than her. It sure as hell feels like it.

I have to check though that she means what I think she means.

So, with a nervous clearing of my throat I ask, “Are you talking about, ya know, you and me going skinny dipping, like naked?”

“Yeah. Maybe we can make today into what it was supposed to be about, us having fun and a laugh together. It’s on the list after all so we’ll have to do it at some point.”

OH MY GOD!!! Am I dreaming right now? Max wants us to get naked like full on butt naked! I know I put it on the list and I’ve obviously thought about her naked, a hella lot. But I didn’t think she would do it. I thought I would be the one trying to get her to do it not—

“We don’t have to Chloe. We can do something else if you’re not comfortable with it.” Max knocks me out of my hyper thoughts with her nervous voice.

I look to her and see she is looking down at the fire as she holds her arm in that awkward way of hers.

“Are you sure Max? You’re not just saying it because you feel you have to, are you?”

“No, I want to do it. I wouldn’t have suggested it if I didn’t.” She replies with determination and maybe a little annoyed that I’m questioning her.

So, I suck down all these nerves I’m feeling right now and tell her, “I’m totally cool with it Max, more than cool in fact. Hella cool!” Yeah you don’t sound very cool Chloe. You sound like a little kid who’s about to get there first real glimpse of a boob. Which I guess I am gonna get that and a whole lot more and so is she. Shit now I’m nervous and blushing again. Get a grip on yourself Price!

Max looks to me with surprise, “Really?” I nod with a smile and she smiles back, “Ok then. I guess we should get dressed no I mean undressed.”

Now I’m grinning like an idiot as I tell her, “I will warn you though Max.” She looks back to me with her jumper mid lift, “There may be some staring... actually scratch that there will definitely be a hella lot of staring!”

Her eyes widen but when I snicker, they narrow as she retorts, “You do realize I get to stare at you too Chloe?” Which has me basically choking on my laughter and her smirking, “Yeah not so funny now is it?”

I try to hide my nervous disposition and wave her away, “Whatever Maxi-pad! Now get to the stripping.”

She laughs as she takes her jumper off. And I know I’m supposed to be getting undressed, but it’s kind of hard when she’s right there shedding clothes.

But then she says in this teasing huskier voice, “I’m not going to lie, I’ve thought about you and being able to see what lies beneath.”

My eyes go huge and I feel my stomach doing these mad somersaults and my heart, Jesus my heart is jackhammering so hard!

“Hahaha... Chloe Price, are you blushing?”

I shift my eyes to see her looking over her shoulder her now bare shoulder, apart from her bra, fuck! Oh my god I think I’m going to die. How the hell is she not nervous? She’s always nervous and embarrassed. Maybe ‘cos you’re acting like the biggest dork in history she’s the one at ease. Ugh look away get undressed and a goddamn grip on yourself Chloe!

I don’t answer her I can’t and I think I’ve embarrassed myself enough for the moment. So, I start to finally take my clothes off...


End file.
